Brownbeard, coming, home

Eustachia Posted Feb 18, 2012, 9:48 pm	Ahoy! me buckos! Me name be Brownbeard and this is me first travelog. I be a pirate-lion, as you can see on me great hat! Don't laugh about it, i'm very proud o' it! I got it from a master pirate! A very good bucko o' me. Maybe i'll tell you some day about him. But today i wanna show you how i became a TV. I was on a trip in t' Neu-Isenburg-Center and met a freaky guy named Woozy. Harhar he looks very funny, so we talked a bit and became very quick good buckos.. err.. friends, in your language. Sorry for me pirate dialect  We took t' escalator downstairs and he was talkin' and talkin'.. i do not remember what it was.. ..but thar was this little waterspout fountain. Let's jump into it! That looks funny! Woooohoooo! I asked Woozy t' jump into t' water but he won't... well, i think he's a bit afraid o' water. But don't let him know what i told you  So we sat down and talked about me dream t' get me own corsair, visit t' see, explore t' whole world and t' find a lot o' treaayes. He told me i should become a ToyVoyager, so maybe me dream can come true. And he was talkin' about many different waterbodies.. What? Many Waterbodies? Okay me bucko, i'm in! So, here i am! Ready for many excitin' adventures! Bye Bye Neu-Isenburg-Center and Ahoy! ToyVoyagers! I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
Eustachia Posted Feb 24, 2012, 9:47 pm	Ahoy! me buckos! Today Tamina, Misslucy and me, we're goin' on a trip with me mentor Eustachia. She had a job in Osterode nearby t' Harz and asked us t' come along with her. Yeaah, a new journey.. let's go! What does these pictures mean? There on this blue board? Does it means that thar be a treaaye? I have t' check it out one day! While drivin' we listened t' t' soundtrack o' Final Fantasy XIII-2. Sounds great! Very epic! And later we listened t' Warrior Cats. A great adio book! You have t' check it out, guys! After work it's time for us t' go t' t' hotel. I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
Eustachia Posted Feb 24, 2012, 10:00 pm	We port Hesse and arrived at our Hotel in Beverungen, North Rhine-Westphalia. This hotel named 1a Pension be very special, because downstairs be a store for beds, coverlets, pillows and stuff. And they sell special electric slatted frames. And in t' hotel upstairs, you can sleep in this beds and test them at night. Hehe, cool! And here we are. This be our room. A decribtion how t' use t' bed and.. haha, what's that? Hotelslip-on shoes. Funny! And somegummi bears. Yumme! Oh, thar it is. T' magical remote control Okay me buckos, be you ready? I'm goin' t' turn it on! Hahaha, that was fun! And now it's time t' relax. I was surfin' at t' internet, Misslucy had a little readin' and Tamina read a journal. I should check out t' ToyVoyager site Aww look thar, me bucko Woozy and me.. That was t' day we met. A great day! Aye! Now it's time t' go t' bed.. Good night Misslucy. Good night Tamina. Good night me buckos out thar
Eustachia Posted Feb 24, 2012, 10:11 pm	T' next day and Misslucy woke us up very rough... *yaaaawn* Hey guys, take a look at this! I found a treaaye map.. or somethin' like this. Okay, okay it be only a guide t' t' city. What do you think? Look at this pictures. So many old buildin's, thar must be a treaaye! But Misslucy told us that it was rainin' and she won't walk in t' rain.. tse.. broad! Before we leave Misslucy wants t' fill out this survey. So, for me, it was okay... Hmm, way too little pirates, after me fancy. I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
Eustachia Posted Feb 24, 2012, 10:19 pm	Ahoy! me buckos! On our tour trough Hesse i saw many nice landscapes. T' weather became a bit better so we took some pictures. Here be more snow than i expected. We passed t' "Weidelsburg" nearby a little village named Ippin'hausen, nearby Wolfhagen. T' weather was good enough t' visit t' castle.. so we thought... But as we drove t' field path t' t' castle, all we saw was snow and ice on t' ground. No way t' get up thar. What be that thar in t' aft? Up thar be t' Weidelsburg. What a bummer, that we couldn't visit it. But we had a great view across t' area from this place. There in t' aft you can see a wind park. Before we go t' Homberg Efze, we ate a bismark. Haha, how funny that "Berliner" in english be "bismark". Yummeyyyy! Ooops.. harhar...
Eustachia Posted Feb 25, 2012, 12:49 pm	We arrived in Homberg Efze and had enough time t' make a quick detour t' t' "Hohenburg". Arrr! T' enter at one's own risk.. Har har. That means in pirate english: Only t' brave ones enter this buildin'. There must be a treaaye! Okay, let's go inside! But first o' all.. a group photograph Woooow.. i smell some treasure trove Hmm.. if we climb up this tower? Maybe... you'll see! This be t' well. Maybe they hid their precious thin's down thar.. Woooaaaa.. i be t' mighty horror pirate with branch-hair.. Harhar, just kiddin'. This be t' view over Homberg Efze. Time for another group photograph  Misslucy: "Hey Brownbeard! Come with me, maybe we'll find a treasure!" Brownbeard: "Huh? Treaaye? What? Where? Wah!" But Tamina told us, that this be only a herb garden...no treaayes! Misslucy: "But theeere! In the back!" Misslucy: "Brownbeard! I found something!" Hey, Misslucy. I think you'll become a great pirate. You got t' right intuition! Misslucy: "It is locked! There MUST be a treasure!" Aye! Oh nooo, only a floodlight  Okay, me buckos.. i found another potential treaaye hoard! OhAhoy!! Just a floodlight, too. We sat down t' wall and enjoyed t' nice view! But look at this information board. They talk about an armory (Waffenkammer)! There must be somethin' valuable... I'm goin' t' find it next time! Now we had t' move on. Okay, let's take a final picture with t' tower in t' aftground... Oops. Okay okay, now i sit down and keep still! I swear! Harhar, what t' hell... This wind be so rough. Sorry me buckos. Let's try it again! Aye, we got it.. But i swear.. one second after takin' this photo i felt down a third time. Harharhar Woow, look here. There stands that at christmas time t' tower be decorated like a candle! I have t' see that! That was a great day! I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
Eustachia Posted Feb 25, 2012, 1:12 pm	Ahoy! me buckos! Today i was on tour with Misslucy and Rishu in Biedenkopf. Eustachia met a little fluffy cock thar and he came along with us. His name be Mr. Quakedi and i think he be a very nice guy. A bit crazy, but i loves crazy guys. Harhar So let's welcome him. Wow, he be really cuddly! Then we talked a bit about bein' a ToyVoyager and about our adventures we already had. Hopefully he will find a host very soon. After that, he wanted t' show us t' castle Biedenkopf. Okay.. let's go! Castle? Arrr, you know what i'm thinkin'...  First of all a group photograph! Let us enter this castle and find t' treaaye! C'mon me buckos, remain defiant! We wanted t' visit t' museum, but unfortunately it be closed until 31th march. Don't give me that shit! Let's enter it! Look, i'm at t' courtyard and t' treaaye be only a few meters far away... But nooo, these white-bread guys don't want t' enter t' museum while it be closed.. As t' museum was closed we couldn't climb up t' castle, so we have t' take some pictures from downstairs. Boooorin'! Next time i will force this castle! On our way t' Haiger we passed a wood with a great mesterious look. I had t' take a picture o' that! Wooow, so cool! I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
Eustachia Posted Feb 26, 2012, 3:59 pm	Ahoy! me buckos! Today be a sunny day, so we went outside t' play some UNO. Eloy be our dealer  .. but i think he be a bit bored.  Harhar  Okay, what card will i lay down..  Mr. Quakedi: "Come on Brownbeard, the ball's in your court!" Yeeaah, don't rush me... Hmm i think Mr. Quakedi be goin' t' win this game... Then Pink_Bear came with a Travel Tag on his paw. He gave it t' Mr. Quakedi. Now he's a real ToyVoyager with his own TV Travel Tag and we all congratulated him. Brin' on a buttle o' rum! We got somethin' t' celebrate. I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
Eustachia Posted Feb 27, 2012, 8:57 pm	Ahoy! me buckos! Today be a very special day for me, because i will leave me new home and travel t' me first host. But what's that? There are 3 envelopes... Aarrr, Mr. Quakedi and Tamina be goin' t' leave Laubach-Münster today, too. T' starboard one be for meeeee! But first o' all i need a biiig hug from everyone! Here we go! Well, i'm t' first one who jumps into t' envelope. I'm shovin' off me buckos and keep a stiff upper lip! Tamina, you're t' next one. And last but not least.. Mr. Quakedi. Here we are.. three guys leavin' their home! Me first stop be Dortmund. I'm excited how many treaayes i will find thar! I'll let you know  Harhar I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Feb 28, 2012, 10:03 pm	Ahoy! Mum, how be you? I arrived in Dortmund this mornin', me travel was very short!! Me new host Kate was t' first thin' that I saw when I scrambled out o' t' envelope. Afterwards, HolgiHH came t' say "Ahoy!". He be a TV too and he be from Germany, just like me! Kate says a huge thankyou for t' great postcard and t' Mon Cherie, she was very happy about it. After t' warm welcomin', I ate somethin'. At least I didn't eat somethin' since ayeterday so I was very hungry!! It's noodles with chicken meat. Yumme!! Later that day HolgiHH told me about his travels and t' places that he visited. Wow, he visited so many places!! I can't believe it, I hope that I'll be able t' tell someone so many stories about me travels in t' future too, just like HolgiHH. It be late now and I be very tired because it was a long day with many new impressions. Kate showed me t' place where I'll sleep in future. I absolutely love it!! Many shells and a blanket with anchors. It be just perfect for me.  I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 5, 2012, 12:33 am	Ahoy mum!! I spent t' day with Kate at t' "TU Dortmund", Kate's university, in Dortmund today. She studies spatial plannin' thar since 2010. This be t' faculty lounge o' Kates faculty, it's a room where students can learn by themselves or do teamwork or somethin' like that. We spent 8 1/2 hours thar.. Ayeterday it was nearly 12 hours!! Phew, that was intense.. These buildin's be on t' southern campus o' t' university. T' one on t' starboard be t' buildin' o' Kate's faculty. On this campus be t' faculties o' t' technics and engineerin'. There be another campus, t' northern campus. There be for example t' humane sciences, t' arts and t' natural sciences. We didn't visit t' campus, but hopefully I will explore it in t' future. It doesn't adjoin directly t' t' southern one so you have t' take t' overhead track - in german: "H-Bahn" (Hochbahn)- t' get t' t' campus. Well, that's it for now. I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 5, 2012, 1:22 am	Ahoy!! I spent t' evenin' in Essen today. It's a city which belongs t' t' Ruhr Area, just like Dortmund. I watched a musical called "Elisabeth" thar in t' Colosseum theatre. This show be about Elisabeth, t' empress o' Austria and queen o' Hungary. But it's NOT like t' kitschy Sissi movies with Rome Schneider. It's about her real life... About her bein' bullied from Sophie (t' mother o' t' emperor Franz Joseph), her depressions, t' suicide o' her son Rudolf and finally her own death.. A special thin' be that thar's a person representin' t' role o' t' death who follows Elisabeth in several times o' her life. She has somethin' like a love affair with him. So as you can see, it's not a good-mood-musical, it's kinda depressin' and thought-provokin' It's me host's favourite musical at t' moment because it has so profound. However. This musical be on tour and it was only 4 weeks in Essen. This evenin' was t' last show here in Essen and it was very emotional and kind o' sad for t' cast and t' fans. I think t' cast was great and I really like t' musical!! They will definitely be missed here. Well, this picture was made on t' way t' Essen. It rained In t' past t' theatre was a industrial buildin' which belonged t' t' "Krupp" concern. It was built in 1900 and was not destroyed in World War II, in contrast t' other buildin's o' t' Krupp concern. In 1995 and 1996 it was converted t' a musical theatre. You can still see remainin' o' t' industrial time in t' foyer. I think it looks great!! It's a mix o' t' old steel constructions and mondern stuff. Do you see t' large windows and t' steel? It's typical for industrial buildin's.. I think t' buildin' tells so many stories and has so much history in it. Awesome! This is the theatre hall itself: Well, I was not t' only TV thar. Tiffy, a bucko o' Kate, took Bubo - a TV which she be currently hostin' - t' t' theatre. He's very nice and we talked a lot about toyvoyagin' and travels. Of course HolgiHH was involved, too!! Last but not least this be t' cast list and t' ticket: It's late now and I need some sleep. I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 6, 2012, 11:39 pm	Ahoy! mum, I've been in Witten today, t' be exact in a furniture centre called "Ostermann". Kate and her flatmate needed some new decorations for sprin' because they still had christmas decoration in their flat until today. Haha, typical students' flat-sharin' community  This be t' new decoration for t' bathroom. I like it very much!! It's nice for a pirate like me. It reminds me o' t' ocean and t' sea air. And this be t' new decoration for t' hall. It be a plant and some potpourri. For t' livin'room (which be also me host's room) we bought some new scatter cushion for t' couch. They be a bit too kitschy for me taste!! After puttin' t' new stuff in order, we got some old decoration out o' t' basement. I helped Kate t' put some artificial flowers into a vase. I had some problems, so HolgiHH came t' help me. I'm very tired and I need some sleep now. Good night!! I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 9, 2012, 9:30 am	Ahoy! Today I have been at t' "german minin' museum". It be one o' t' most important minin' museums o' t' world. It has not only t' normal showroom, there be a shaft tower and a recreated adit in t' depth o' 20m. You can explore both o' it, it's great! T' tunnel in t' adit has a length o' 2,5km!!  After visitin' t' minin' museum, I went t' t' theatre o' t' musical "Starlight Express" which be composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. T' theatre was built from 1986 - 1988 especially for this musical. It's t' musical with t' longest repertory season in Germany (since 1988) and thar's a world record for t' most visitors t' a musical in a sin'le theatre. T' extraordinary thin' on this show is, that every actor wears roller skates and looks like a train. It's a very tough trainin' for t' actors at t' beginnin'. T' long rehearsal period for t' "New kids" (t' new actors every year) be called "Skate School" and takes nearly 3-4 months!! T' show be about a world championship o' t' trains (that be why they wear skates) with some small lovestories. T' moral o' this show is, that you can do everythin' if you believe in yourself and that true love isn't just about goodlookin', but havin' wonderful inner values. This be an engine on t' forecourt in fore o' t' theatre. That's it for now. I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 11, 2012, 10:40 am	Ahoy mum! Today was a small packet in t' letterbox. I wondered if it was a new TV so I checked t' packet more precise. I was a bit disappointed when I found out that it was just a CD. Well, it be t' new cast-recordin' o' t' musical Elisabeth. I watched it in Essen, do you remember? It be a special edition which be only available in a certain shop, so I looked at t' pictures which be included and t' texts o' t' musical, which be in it aswell. On t' port you can see t' archduchess Sophie (represented by Betty Vermeulen) with her court ladies. On t' starboard be Rudolf (represented by t' amazin' Oliver Arno - me hosts favourite actor) and T' Death (Mark Seibert) behind him. Here you can see T' Death and Elisabeth (Annemieke van Dam) on t' port and Elisabeth and Franz Joseph (Matthias Edenborn) on t' starboard. And finally, this be me whilst readin' some texts. I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 13, 2012, 6:42 pm	Ahoy!! I have been in t' city o' Bochum today t' change some doubloons for t' trip t' Scotland next week. I be so excited and I really can't wait t' get in t' plane.  HolgiHH, Kate and me changed t' doubloons at t' main branch o' Sparkasse Bochum. This be t' buildin': Afterwards we went t' t' central cemetry in Bochum to visit t' grave o' a beloved person o' me host. It's called "Friedhof Freigrafendamm" and it be t' biggest cemetry in Bochum. T' buildin's on t' cemetry were built from 1935 t' 1939, so they embody t' typical Nazi period design... There be specific fields for soldiers who lost their lifes in a war, specific fields for stillbirths, fields for islamists, for anonymous persons etc. This be t' entrance: On t' starboard you can see t' big mournin' hall. On t' port be a small mournin' hall. T' rest o' t' buildin' between t' halls consists o' t' delivery o' t' coffins, cells for corpses and t' administration. This be t' big mournin' hall: On this picture you can see t' area o' t' cemetry. It be huge!! Can you see t' small orange symbol above me head, cattycorner t' grey fields? It be t' buildin' o' t' mournin' hall (and it's not quite small actually!!). So, as you can see t' area o' t' cemetry be really really big. Well, I'm gonna relax a little bit now and watch some TV and prepare some thin's for Scotland. I already miss you!! I'm shovin' off Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 16, 2012, 10:52 am	Ahoy!! Today was a beautiful day. T' sun came out t' beautify t' day. Kate told me that it be t' first time this year with so much sunshine and warmth. T' people where able t' wear teeshirts without a jacket. Amazin'. Kate, HolgiHH and me enjoyed t' sunny day at t' Stadtpark Bochum (city park Bochum). It be one o' t' biggest city parks in t' state NRW!! I think this be pretty cool. There be two big ponds, huge green areas and a small waterfall. Unfortunately we couldn't walk through t' whole park because Kate had other dates, but well.. This be t' biggest pond, you can take a trip on a pedalo on it or just sit on t' waterfore and relax a little bit. This be t' small waterfall and a bridge from where you can see t' waterfall: This be one o' t' green areas in t' park, but thar be many more which be much bigger. This one be small compared t' t' others: Here be some paths and a small toilet facility  At t' end, Kate and HolgiHH showed me t' stadium o' t' football club "VFL Bochum". T' stadium be named "Rewirpowerstadion", until 2006 it was called "Ruhrstadion" but t' fans o' t' club still call it Ruhrstadion. T' VFL Bochum be in t' second division. There be a kind o' a curse.. T' club be too bad for t' first division but mostly too good for t' second division, so every few years t' club switches t' divisions. Well, I wonder which places I'm gonna visit t' next sunny days. I'm shovin' off, Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 18, 2012, 4:44 pm	Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Today be St. Patrick's Day Actually it's a holiday in Ireland but people all over t' world celebrate it and a few people here in Germany celebrate it too. Kate loves Ireland, so we decided t' dress up like t' guys in Ireland on St. Patrick's Day  Well, t' time has come!! I'm so excited t' go t' Scotland on monday!! We're gonna stay t' nights in Edinburgh but it be also planned t' take a day trip t' Glasgow on wednesday and we wanna take a trip by bus t' t' Highlands, but that's not fixed yet. We had t' pack t' luggage today because we're gonna stay in Bochum this weekend and we won't come aft t' Dortmund before monday. I wanted t' help Kate t' prepare thin's for t' travel, so I packed t' guidebook into her bag and some small stuff into her luggage. I've been informed that HolgiHH and me won't be t' only TV's on this trip. Marawarpina, a rat from Ratin'en, will join us She be very nice and also a toyvoyager-newbie, just like me. Okay, I won't be able t' update t' travelog durin' t' stay in Scotland but I promise t' update t' travelog when I'm aft. Guess I can make an update on sunday or monday. I hope you will have a nice week. I miss you!! I'm shovin' off!!! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 24, 2012, 12:59 pm	Ahoy! Today was me first day in Edinburgh!! Edinburgh be t' capital o' Scotland and it be a wonderful city!! Full o' history and great architecture, even though everythin' looks quite gloome because o' t' stone buildin's T' scottish folks be very polite and nice and t' services here be better than in good old Germany. Well, I'll start at t' beginnin' o' t' journey. I had t' get up very early because t' departure from Cologne-Bonn Airport was at 11:00am. T' flight was without any turbulences and I enjoyed watchin' t' clouds go by After our arrival in t' centre o' Edinburgh we got totally lost. We couldn't find our hotel and came t' a went t' Davy Jones' locker end. Somehow it was terrible and funny at t' same time At some point we finally managed t' find t' hotel and took a little time out from t' stressfull arrival'. Afterwards we walked through t' city for t' first time, t' be exact through "Old Town". Edinburgh be divided into "Old Town" and "New Town". T' Old Town be t' oldest part o' t' city, where e.g. t' Edinburgh Castle and t' Royal Mile be located. Everythin' looks very rough and thar be loads o' buildin's made o' stone which be very very old. Durin' t' walk through Old Town we passed t' Royal Mile. This Mile be a street that stretches from t' Holyrood Palace (t' official residence o' t' british monarch - T' Queen - in Scotland) on t' one end t' t' Edinburgh Castle on t' other end. This castle be located on t' Castle Rock - t' remain o' a volcanic pipe - and it's very high. This be t' castle: Unfortunately I didn't take many pictures o' our tour through Old Town today, but I will take more pictures in t' followin' days!! Today's weather be just amazin'. T' sun be shinin' and thar be only a few clouds. Okay, it be windy but that be normal for Scotland. I'm shovin' off!! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 24, 2012, 1:29 pm	Ahoy! Today we started our tour at "Calton Hill". It be a very high hill in New Town from where you have a view over t' whole city. It was a bit cloudy and utterly windy up thar!! There be several iconic monuments and buildin's like t' City Observatory, t' Dugald Stewart Monument and many more. This be t' view over New Town: T' hill with t' City Observatory in t' middle: This be t' National Monument, it be a memorial t' t' scottish soldiers and jack tars who went t' Davy Jones' locker fightin' in t' Napoleonic Wars. Fore: and aft: This be t' view over "Old Town". On t' port you can see t' Dugald Stewart Monument, a memorial t' a scottish philosopher called Dugald Stewart. It's an awesome view, isn't it? After spendin' some time on Calton Hill, t' other TV's and me continued t' explore Old Town and t' area around t' Royal Mile. It's very exhaustin' t' walk through t' town because thar be loads o' ups and downs. Most o' t' streets ascend steeply. Here be some impressions o' t' area (but not t' Royal Mile itself): (Don't be confused because o' t' irish flag) This be t' residence o' t' Queen, t' "Holyrood Palace". I told you about it ayeterday. It be at t' beginnin' o' t' Royal Mile and you can walk t' t' castle straight on from thar. T' buildin' looks impressive and thar be many safety devices. This be t' Edinburgh Playhouse, which be near t' hotel. It be a former cinema but now it hosts concerts and tourin' musicals. T' musical which be shown this week be called "Spamalot", other musicals which will stop thar be e.g. Chicago, Dirty Dancin' and American Idiot. On t' starboard you can see t' box offices This night I did a "Double Dead Tour". It was a tour through t' vaults o' Old Town (many people lived from 1788 until about 1822 in t' underground without any light or water) and t' Greyfriars Kirkyard. It be a very old graveyard which be known t' be haunted by a Poltergeist called "Mackenzie Poltergeist". It was spooky and t' guide told us many thin's about paranormal activities in t' vaults and about t' Poltergeist. We actually got into t' Covenanter's Prison and t' "Black Mausoleum" where most o' t' attacks o' t' Poltergeist take place. Both t' vaults and t' mausoleum aren't publicly accessible, not everyone can visit these places, so I think it's quite awesome.  Tomorrow will be a tough day, we'll take a tour through Scotland by bus which takes 12 hours!! We will drive through t' Highlands and we will stop at Loch Ness. I really can't wait! I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 24, 2012, 2:33 pm	Ahoy! Well, I already told you about our plan t' take a trip by bus through t' whole country, so t' day started really early and t' trip actually took 12 hours!! We drove through t' Highlands and stopped at Loch Ness. Kilmahog: These be some Highland cattles in t' small village "Kilmahog". It's located somewhere between Edinburgh and Glencoe. Some landscape: Spean Bridge: T' village takes its name from t' Highbridge over t' river "Spean". It lays in t' Great Glen. Loch Ness: "Loch" be t' scottish word for "sea". T' Loch Ness has t' biggest volume o' water in t' whole country. On t' deepest point, t' sea has a depth o' about 230m It has a length o' 37km, so it's quite long. On t' riverside be t' "Urquhart Castle" but thar be just a ruin port. It was built in 1230, so it's one o' t' oldest ruins in Scotland. It be an amazin' place with a beautiful landscape and a great atmosphere. Unfortunately I didn't see Nessie t' monster. These pictures show t' castle and Loch Ness in several perspectives. After spendin' some time at t' castle, I did a tour by boat over t' Loch Ness!! It was amazin'!! Unfortunately thar be no pictures o' it.. This be on our return t' Edinburgh at evenin' on a roadhouse in Perthshire, somewhere between Inverness and Perth Well, that were some really exhaustin' and stressfull hours but it was totally worth it!! I'm shovin' off, Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 27, 2012, 9:23 am	Ahoy! Today was already our last full day here in Edinburgh We walked over t' "Greyfriars Kirkyard", it be a graveyard in Old Town. It's a very old graveyard, it came up about 1561!! T' cemetry be known t' be haunted by a Poltergeist, t' "Mackenzie Poltergeist". I already told you about it. However, I guess you know Harry Potter, be I right? Joanne K. Rowlin' (author) created some characters o' t' book in Edinburgh and got inspired by some names o' t' kirkyard!! She loved that kirkyard and an old man who works thar told us that she returns t' t' graves 2 times per month. Perhaps you know t' character Tom Riddle (Lord Voldemort), he be named after Thomas Riddell who went t' Davy Jones' locker in 1806. Another character - Minerva McGonagall - found its surname in William McGonagall who was a poet and went t' Davy Jones' locker in 1902. This be me in fore o' his headstone: This be t' headstone o' Thomas Riddell, but without me.. I hope you don't mind but I really wanna show it t' you. T' kirkyard directly adjoins t' a school, t' George Heriot's School. It was t' model for Hogwarts!! Amazin', isn't it? Unfortunately we weren't allowed t' take pictures o' it because o' t' sprogs etc. T' teachers came t' us and told us t' stop takin' pictures.. T' graves o' McGonagall and Riddell be near t' school. Later, we passed t' Cafe were Rowlin' wrote her books. It's called "T' elephant house" and it's known as t' "birthplace o' Harry Potter" Well, we spent t' rest o' t' day with some shoppin'. Afterwards we needed a little rest in t' hotel t' get some food. We had Chicken Caesar Wraps and some milk Afterwards we had a night out in a live music bar called "Whistle Binkies". It was very nice!! Well, tomorrow will be our last mornin' in Scotland and we will arrive in Germany about 2 pm. I think I won't take any pictures so this will be me last update o' me trip t' Scotland. Did I mention that it was warm and sunny in Scotland t' whole week? It's quite unusual for this country... I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Mar 30, 2012, 9:17 am	Ahoy!! Today was a lovely day!! When I looked out o' t' window, I saw bright sunshine. Awesome! So, after goin' t' university for a few minutes t' sign a paper, we headed t' Oberhausen. Kate and her bucko decided t' enjoy t' weather in Oberhausen at t' promenade with us with me and t' other TV's. Well, it was t' last full day with HolgiHH because he will leave us and go t' Heidelberg tomorrow. It be kinda sad t' say I'm shovin' off t' a new found bucko.. I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Apr 3, 2012, 4:03 pm	Ahoy!! Sorry for t' short updates t' last days. I'm very well and I just relaxed in Dortmund for a few days before t' start o' me hosts new semester at university tomorrow. Before t' new semester, we wanted t' clean up t' flat a little bit. So I helped Kate doin' t' dishes. It wasn't that much but it's still a quite borin' thin'.. These be thin's we had t' wash up: This be me, washin' up a mug o' t' football team "BVB Borussia Dortmund": At t' end, I had t' dry all t' thin's and put them aft into t' kitchen cabinet. This be me, dryin' a plate I hope that I'll be able t' tell you more excitin' stuff in t' next few days I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Apr 6, 2012, 5:31 pm	Ahoy folks, today be Good Friday, t' sun be shinin' and t' birds be sin'in'. Beautiful day T' Easter holidays started today and I already decorated some stuff for Eastern. I think it's time t' show you t' neighbourhood here in Bochum But first I'll tell you somethin' about t' district. Well, I live here in a district called "Grumme". Aft in t' 12th century, it was called Grumhem, later on it was called Grommen and now it's called Grumme. T' waters here in t' district were named "Grume", that's why t' area was called Grumhem, it means somethin' like "Home o' t' Grume". There's a park which goes through t' whole district - disconnected by some streets - called "Grummer Teiche" (Grummer ponds) with t' waters. There's a summer party once a year This be t' view from t' balcony, you can see a small part o' t' park with one o' t' ponds: The catholic church here was built from 1890 - 1891. I can't tell you how t' parish was named aft then, but later on it was called "St. Liborius". In 2002, t' parish was combined with another parish called "Heilig Kreuz". Now it's a big parish which be named "Seliger Nikolaus Groß". Most o' t' people here in t' neighbourhood be catholic. Well, almost everyone except a few people Most evangelic people live in another area o' t' district, but t' area looks more like an estate o' prefabricated houses and it doesn't look so nice thar.. T' "catholic area" looks way more idyllic!! T' catholic parish be veeery big, loyal and involved. I would say it be quite unusual nowadays, but they be not uptight as you would think o' religious people but rather very free-spirited and they love drinkin'!! Haha   Me host was a member o' t' KJG - "Katholische Junge Gemeinde" - (catholic young parish) even though she isn't catholic. Here you can see t' church, t' buildin' on t' port be a primary school ( I know, you can hardly see it). Me host went t' this school when she was young. Near our house be a tavern / restaurant, called "Gasthaus Goeke". T' tavern itself be more than 100 years old but t' cottage be much older, first records were made in 1547!! This be t' main street which runs through t' district. Well, enough o' me neighbourhood here in Bochum. These were t' most important places here in t' district. I would say, it's a very harmonic district. Almost everyone knows everyone and many people meet at evenin' in t' tavern once a week. Everyone be very nice here I'm shovin' off!! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Apr 7, 2012, 5:24 pm	Ahoy thar, how be you today? I hope you're well!! Tomorrow be Easter Day, so Kate and me decided t' paint some eggs It was good fun!! T' results be great, we have some eggs with faces, some with flowers or animals, one with staves and a melody and so on But see it for yourself! This be me, writin' "Happy Easter" in many different languages on an egg, especially for t' ToyVoyagers out thar!! And t' result: Thar be almost all eggs: But these ones be me favourites. I love them!! Well, t' weather wasn't very nice today so I didn't leave t' house... No sunshine but rain It even snowed a little bit this mornin'!! I'm shovin' off!! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Apr 9, 2012, 10:16 pm	Happy Easter!! Ahoy folks, I be wishin' you Happy Easter!! I had a great day with a funny Easter egg hunt. I woke up about 8am and just began t' search eggs and presents in t' whole flat. It was hard t' find them all because I be not so familiar with t' rooms here in Bochum but it was still great fun. I'll show you some impressions o' me Easter egg hunt : I found an egg in a teaset, but I had no luck in a plant Look, an egg with a nice butterfly No eggs in sight Finally a little sense o' achievement again, this time in a bowl with knick-knacks. Yaay! An Easter basket with delicious candies in a wardrobe!! I couldn't resist, I just had t' eat some o' them. Hahaha Well, these be t' results o' t' Easter egg hunt!! It took long but it was totally worth it. Did you have some nice Easter holidays? I really hope so!! I'll go t' bed now, watchin' some TV and eatin' some chocolate I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Apr 15, 2012, 9:29 pm	Ahoy!! Today was a day with typical April weather. T' day started with bright sunshine but it began t' rain in t' afternoon. I spent some time in t' city today and whilst walkin' through t' streets I passed t' town hall o' Bochum. It was built from 1926 until 1931. There's a bell on t' forecourt o' t' town hall, aft in 1867 it was used t' sound t' bell for t' openin' o' t' Paris International Exposition. It was t' biggest bell thar. Afterwards I spent some time at t' Starlight Express, on me way home I passed t' new amusement arcade which be built next t' t' parkin' block o' t' Starlight Halle. T' buildin' be a former IMAX 3D Cinema, but it closed in 2003. After t' closin', t' buildin' stood empty until 2011. It's fully renovated now This be t' A40, a motorway which leads through t' whole Ruhr Area. It's also called "Ruhrschnellweg". Some people call it "t' longest parkin' place o' t' Ruhr Area" because thar be awfully long traffic jams durin' t' rush hours. In 2010, t' complete motorway was closed for a day and thar was a huge party on t' whole motorway, from Dortmund all t' way down t' Duisburg. This be at least a way o' 60 kilometers!! A highlight was t' "longest table o' t' world", built with 20000 grog tables which were strung together, it was also 60 kilometers long, just as t' length o' t' motorway. T' festival was called "Still-Leben-Ruhrschnellweg" and newspapers and TV Channels all over t' world reported about it. Well, that was me day now. I hope you have a nice weekend with better weather than me I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Apr 17, 2012, 12:17 pm	Ahoy!! Me and some others went t' t' cinema this eve t' watch t' movie "Russendisko", a german movie with Matthias Schweighöfer and Friedrich Mücke. T' cinema be named "UCI Kinowelt" and be located in t' "Ruhr Park Shoppin' Center". T' movie started very late, about 10.45pm, so we took a little walk through t' shoppin' center before we headed t' t' cinema hall. On t' followin' pictures you can see a part o' t' Ruhr Park. I think it looks awesome with t' colourful lights and t' trees!! This be t' sign o' t' entrance o' a food concourse called "via bartolo": T' entrance o' t' cinema: We were t' only ones in t' whole cinema hall who watched this film After watchin' t' movie we went aft t' t' foyer o' t' cinema. It was spooky!! There was not a sin'le person, not even staff or employees!!! We were all alone in t' buildin'..  Well, we were aft at home very late, or should I say very early?? It was 1:10am in t' mornin'. Yeah, that was me day. I hope you had a good beginnin' o' t' week! I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Apr 21, 2012, 9:09 pm	Ahoy!! A new TV arrived in Dortmund today. His name be Bussi Marawarpina and me welcomed him and we be happy that he be such a nice guy!! Bussi had a very long travel and needed some fun after beein' wrapped in t' envelope for such a long time, so we decided t' go t' t' pool and t' t' sauna. Both belongs t' t' host's house here in Dortmund We had a great time!! We played some water polo After spendin' an awesome time in t' pool we headed t' t' sauna t' relax a little bit. It was very hot but I felt great afterwards. All in all it was a fun day, but it made me feel very tired. I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Apr 23, 2012, 8:46 pm	Ahoy! Mum, today was a very nice day Bright sunshine and blue sky. Well, at least most o' t' time T' TV's, me host and me decided t' enjoy t' weather in a park in Bochum, called "Harpener Teiche". It's a big area with many ponds. Me host told me that t' mine drainage water o' a nearby mine flows into t' Harpener Teiche. T' Ruhr Area be popular for its former minin' and t' mines which be out o' service fill up with mine drainage water. This water has t' be pumped out because otherwise it would mix up with t' groundwater and would make it useless. It's complicated t' explain, anyway this process has t' be conducted t' all eternity. This be a group photo Here you can see Lexie and me. She be t' new TV o' me host. I really like her, she be very nice..  This be a creek, in t' aftground you can see a paddock. I like this place, it be very calmin' t' sit thar and look at t' landscape. Another group photo Here you can see one o' t' inflows o' t' mine drainage water. It looks nice, doesn't it? Well, that was me day. I really needed some sun after t' rainy days that lag behind. I'm shovin' off!! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted Apr 29, 2012, 12:36 pm	Ahoy!! Today was a festival in Bochum, called "Maiabend Fest" (May evenin' festival). It be an old traditional festival which be several hundreds o' years old. T' aftground o' this festival be that aft then - a few hundred years ago - young people cut down a tree in a district in Bochum called "Harpen" and they carried it t' t' city center. Since this time, it be every year. There be a big parade every year where t' Maischützen (thar's no english word for it) walk from Harpen t' t' city center, drinkin' lots o' grog and makin' music. In t' city center be a big festival with many grog stalls, food stands, a medieval market and a stage with live music. This be one o' t' floats: And what do you need at a festival? Right, some police!! Here you can see me on a police car. T' "Stop" be mirror-inverted due t' t' fact that the car drivers can read it when they look in their aftview mirror when t' police be behind them. Yeah, that's it about t' festival, unfortunately it was too full t' take some pictures in t' crowd. Well, today was t' day o' Lexie's and Tucker's leavin'. Lexie will go t' Australia and Tucker will stay in Germany and goes t' Remscheid. I didn't know them so well but it's always sad t' say "I'm shovin' off." Hope you have a nice weekend! I'm shovin' off, Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted May 3, 2012, 8:35 pm	Ahoy Mum! Guess what; it's exam-time again!! Kate has t' write an exam on monday about landscape gardenin' & urban plannin' in t' different epochs (antiquity, renaissance, baroque etc.) and traffic plannin'. You know what that means, don't you? Aye, spendin' most o' t' time at home until t' exam be over.. Grrr! But well, I helped her learnin' today. We made a timeline with t' most important facts about landscape gardenin'. It was pretty much and it took quite long. And this be t' result: Oh, a new TV arrived here today. His name be Billy and he be from South Africa.He showed me and t' other TV's some pictures o' his journeys and told us some stories, it was very interestin'. Alright, I don't know if I'll be able t' spend some time outdoors this weekend, but I really hope so. We'll see... This exam be really important for me host, so I better put me needs in t' aft and let her study... I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted May 5, 2012, 12:35 am	Ahoy!! I have been in Bochum this evenin' and I went bowlin'! It was much fun because it's disco-bowlin' every friday night. That means that it's darker than usual, thar's a lightshow and loud music. Another cool thin' is: you can win somethin' if thar's a bright orange bowlin' pin in t' fore row and you bowl a strike then. Before you bowl, you have t' take a card out o' 5 cards, on each one be a prize written. It doesn't happen that often but me host was one o' t' lucky ones who actually won somethin', even though it was just a cocktail.  It was hard t' take some nice pictures because o' t' darkness and t' smartly movements everywhere, but I tried me really best. T' bowlin' balls were very heavy and big!! Ahoy! That was me evenin'. I hope you have a nice weekend! I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted May 11, 2012, 2:17 pm	Ahoy!! I went for a stroll today T' park where I was be called "Grummer Teiche". "Grumme" be t' district where I live here in Bochum, I already told you about it, do you remember? It's a lovely park, here be some impressions : As I walked through t' park I passed 2 Egyptian Geese with their chicks and 2 Canada Geese. T' chicks were so cute!! It was very warm, so I decided t' take a rest at a drinkin' fountain: Afterwards I went home and spent some time on t' balcony. From t' balcony I had a view on a part o' t' park, but it's hard t' see because o' all t' trees. Well, it's almost weekend and that means that I'm goin' t' London with me host soon!!! I can't wait, I bet it's gonna be amazin'. I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted May 15, 2012, 3:50 pm	Ahoy!! Me holiday in London started this evenin', yaaay!! We be sooo many TV's on this journey.. Well, what else could you think when you hear that thar be 4 lasss and 3 o' them be hosts We be 7 TV's, it's so cool t' go on vacation with so many great guys!! T' departure was at 08:05 pm but thar was a little delay so we flew a little bit later. We were sooo high  This be our TV group... T' plane was so small that we had t' sit on t' tray table.. They're all so nice! From port t' starboard: me, Billy, Bussi, Marawarpina, two TV's o' which I don't know t' names at t' moment (whoops, I'll tell you later!!) and Leif E As we arrived in London, we headed straight t' t' hotel and went t' bed. It was such a strenuous day!! I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted May 15, 2012, 4:06 pm	Ahoy!! today was a great day!! We did some sightseein' and t' weather was awesome!! No rain, bright sunshine and it was warm. We started at t' "King's Cross" station. There be t' platform 9 3/4, maybe you know it from t' Harry Potter movies. It's t' platform where t' ride o' t' Hogwarts Express starts. Here you can see me in fore o' t' Tower Bridge and t' Thames T' bridge was built from 1886 til 1894 and it's near t' Tower o' London. Alright, this be t' London City Hall. It's very new and modern, it opened in 2002. Here you can see t' Tower o' London. It be a historic castle near t' Thames. Hahaha, this be such a typical tourist-picture A red telephone box. A guard with his horse: Here you can see Big Ben, it belongs t' t' Houses o' Parliament. Most people think that it's t' name o' t' tower, but actually it's just t' name o' t' bell o' t' clock. And finally, this be t' Buckin'ham Palace. It's t' residence o' t' British monarch - T' Queen. Oh well, this be t' second residence o' t' Queen that I visited now. I already saw her residence in Edinburgh in March, do you remember? At evenin' we went t' Wimbledon t' see t' musical "Starlight Express", it's currently on UK Tour. T' show here in London be a bit different t' t' show in Bochum. T' stages in Great Britain be much smaller than in Bochum, so t' "races" aren't live but shown on a screen in 3D. Some o' t' costumes look very different, some choreographies be new and some songs have a different beat or be new or be missin' in t' show. Most o' t' performers in London were already a part o' t' german production, so me host and her buckos knew almost everyone who was on stage this evenin'. And you won't believe what I tell you now... Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber himself was with us in t' audience!! Oh me god, excitin' times!! Ahoy! that was me day here in London. I think I won't take any pictures tomorrow because we just fly aft tomorrow. I'm shovin' off!! Brownbeard
La_Kate_Boheme Posted May 16, 2012, 2:34 pm	HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MUM!!! I hope you have an awesome day with your lovelies!! I wish I could be with you on this special day.
La_Kate_Boheme Posted May 17, 2012, 3:57 pm	Ahoy!! Today be a sad day.. I had t' say I'm shovin' off t' me new buckos and me host Kate.  She cared for me for t' last 2 1/2 months, I visited sooo many places with her and I had a great time!! But I be really lookin' fore t' me new adventures. Kate already showed me some impressions o' me next destination: Finland!! To be exact: Espoo, the second largest city of the country. It's a looong way, I wonder if I'll be totally knackered when I arrive thar, but we'll see. Sayin' I'm shovin' off was very hard... I hugged everyone for a last time and crawled into t' envelope afterwards. It's not so comfortable, I hope I'll arrive in Finland soon!! I will write you as soon as I arrive in Finland. Take care!! I'm shovin' off! Brownbeard
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted May 31, 2012, 11:07 pm	Ahoy, mum and everyone else!  I have arrived safely, but.. are you sure this is Espoo, the second biggest city of Finland I have arrived to, like Kate told me?  It certainly doesn´t look like the second biggest city of any country! The trip was a long one. My envelope and me inside it was tucked and pulled and piled into cars and airplanes, and I could hear the languages changing outside. I wish I had my own pirate ship to sail with around the world!  At last I arrived to Finland and to Espoo, the second biggest city of Finland, and I was waiting in my envelope someone to open it, but nothing happened.  When I had counted my toes and fingers ten times I got too bored and opened the envelope myself with the dagger I always have hidden with me. Arrr!  I was watching around me. I seemed to be in a cosy little room, but there was no one else there. But I found a message written on a piece of paper and addressed to me!  "Hi Brownbeard!" it started. "We will arrive soon too. Eat what you find!" It was signed by Henna, Zoe, Jeremy and Krystal And I was really feeling hungry after the long journey! So I rummaged trough the cupboards and found some bread and cheese and made some tea to go with it too.  Then I went outside to see where I had landed. Look at this, mom!  Does this look like living in a big city? This little cottage is where I came out from the envelope.. And outside there was forest and old field, different flowers blooming everywhere, birds and squirrels..  And some very old blooming apple trees too.  City or not, I liked what I saw. And soon the scenery got even better, because there was three little persons approaching. Although first I thought they were three mushrooms..  They were introducing themselves as Jeremy, Krystal and Zoe, from left to right!  They told that Henna was coming somewhere far behind, dragging all the luggage!  They had been on a trip. We went inside and I got a proper wellcoming hug from everyone.  They all seem to be very nice! They also explained to me how come this place looks anything but a big city - the fact is that we live here in a two hundred years old cottage which is nowadays inside the area of Nuuksio National park. It is a huge area, and this part of it where we live here is on the area of the town of Espoo. The park itself, they told me, covers also parts of the communs of Vihti and Kirkkonummi.  I was showing them the postcard from Kate with many nice pics from Dortmund I brought with me.  And also the cool pirate keychain.  They were all admiring it and now they all want to become pirates too!  I promised to teach some piracy for them. Ahum.  Henna told me (when she has arrived too, panting, with the luggage, and hugged me too) to write here her thanks for Kate for the nice gifts.  They had brought me a gift too!  A box full of portuguese cherries. Yummy! They are good as.. bottle of rum!  See you soon again, mom!
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Jun 7, 2012, 11:55 am	Ahoy, äiti! (Ahoy, mom!)  As ye be seein' I´ve already learned me first finnish words! We ben walkin' around here in Nuuksio, an' Zoe, who has allready spent some time here, be showin' me th' local "sights" which aren´t very many..  Here be th' wee cottage we be livin' in. 'Tis two hundred years old, so instead o' runnin' water we be havin' a well, an' th' toilet be outside. But we piratess be used t' carryin' water buckets!  When we leave our yard, we keel haul first trough a wee meadow full o' flowers.  Then we reach this wee village road, which runs trough a landscape o' forest an' field.  There be many wild animals runnin' everywhere - like these ants in the'r fortress. I be watchin' them fer some time, but then I started t' feel itchy all over.  We port th' roads an' hopped in t' th' forest.  It be very excitin' fer a jack like me, t' whom th' forest be totally new surroundings!  We be posin' fer Henna in this pic, but I can tell ye 't wasn´t easy! Thar be a platoon o' lusty mosquitoes cravin' fer our blood everywhere! As a swashbuckler I´m used t' bedbugs an' cackroaches, but these mosquitoes..  It seems that here sea dogs an' land lubbers be somewhat enthusiastic about botanics - roamin' around tuckin' the'r noses into ever' flower an' mushroom an' learnin' t' recognice them.  That be new t' me, but 'tis nerein vain ti learn new things!  This flower be called "metsätähti" in finnish, which means "star o' th' forest". In a way, we can think ever' wee flower be a booty too. Don´t ye agree, mom?  We found a ditch an' started t' follow 't.  The ditch run trough fields, an' met other ditches an' grew a bigger stream. We be tryin' if we can run faster than 't!  Now thar be some other houses an' bridges t' be seen ever' now an' ag'in.  The stream turned into a wee rapid.  Of course we had t' go t' hop on th' stones in middle o' th' stream! We be hoppin' from stone t' stone tryin' t' catch each other. Jiihaa! This be nearer t' me own element!  The stream ended here, into a lake called Sahajärvi. We be sittin', watchin' th' seagulls glidin' o'er th' water surfice, an' I started t' tell th' others about me sea adventures, th' encounters wi' sea monsters an' th' herrin' rains.  They be starin' at me in amazement an' suckin' me ever' word!  We started t' sin' sea shanties. "Black flag flying" an' "15 swabbies round th' coffin o' a dead jack". Th' seagulls flew away in terror an' I could be seein' e'en th' mosquitoes hold the'r ears.  There be some wee roin' boats on th' shore, an' i could be seein' they be missin' t' be on th' sea as much as I be! One day..  Then we headed aft towards homeport, but now we be all in th' mood t' make plans fer our future buccanneer adventures.  At homeport we had some delicious buns wi' rum raisins inside. They beat th' water crackers by thousand! I'm shovin' off! , dear mom! Kisses from Brownbeard
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Jun 15, 2012, 11:09 am	Ahoy, mom! How be ye?  I´m doin' jus' splendidly! I get very well along wi' me new mates, e'en if they be rather soft landlubbers. (Eeep, Zoe saw th' sentence an' be lookin' pretty furious!) All starboard, all starboard! Nay soft lanlubbers, but very HARD landlubbers. Better? Last high tide' we visited Helsinki, th' capitol o' Finland.  The centrum o' Helsinki be about 30 kilometers away from Nuuksio, 'ere we live here. So we travelled thar by a bus an' a train.  Here I´m watchin' th' landscapes, but actually I didn´t see anythin' but greennes fer th' first 10 kilometers. 'Tis rather fantastical t' live in middle o' such a big forest an' still so near th' capitol!  There wasn´t many swabbies in th' bus besides us.. which be jus' as well, on accoun' o' I be havin' noticed most swabbies lookin' shocked when we start t' sing, an' that be exactly what we started t' do!  The train be a bit more stuffed, but nay much.  This be th' Helsinki main railway station, 'ere we got ou' from th' train.  These guys on th' station wall holdin' th' lanterns be some mythical beings from th' finnish epos, Kalevala.  This be th' railwaystation from abroadside. Iwas told 'tis a very famous buildin' by some guy named Saarinen , but I think 't looks a 't like a radio from th' 1930´s. Do ye agree?  We strolled along th' streets. Th' city looked nice - thar be lots o' trees.  Then we popped into a tourist office 'ere we saw this big aerial photograph o' th' city area. As ye can be seein', Helsinki be actually build on a wee cape on th' Baltic Sea. Maybe I could be seein' some ships!  This be th' Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral. Th' area 'ere 'tis built be originally a swamp, an' th' story tells thar be a ghost o' an unchristened baby drowned t' th' swamp cryin' on moonlight nights..  The Helsinki university be starboard next door, an' durin' th' study year the stairs be full o' students spendin' here the'r breaks. This be th' view from th' Cathedral stairs.  Then we keel hauled along a nice esplanade, called "Esplanadi", ha ha! This be a very popular spot t' be havin' picnicks an' such.  We sat thar also fer awhile, jus' watchin' th' tourists an' other swabbies passin' by. Thar be less swabbies durin' summer than winter, on accoun' o' half o' th' population be spendin' the'r summer holidays somewhere in th' countryside.  Along th' Esplanadi thar be many interestin' lookin' shops. I hopped into one named Christmas Shop, which be sellin' only christmas decorations an' other stuff, like books, which be havin' t' do wi' Christmas.  It felt very funny, but also refreshin' t' suddenly be seein' snow an' reindeers an' e'en polar bears in midsummer!  Well, what comes t' that, th' christmas elves seemed t' be quite as astounded t' be seein' a buccanneer amongst them! I told them about toyvoyagers an' our excitin' life, an' they thought 't be a fantastical idee. "What if Santa Claus didn´t need t' set sail anymore hisself round th' globe - he could jus' tell t' th' toys 'ere t' go!" they spake. Hmm!  Then we port th' shop an' keel hauled along an' came t' th' Kauppatori = Th' market square. In earlier times this be th' main market 'ere swabbies from th' surroundin' country side came t' sell the'r vegetables, berries, fish an' whatnot fer th' city dwellers.  Nowadas swabbies come here mostly t' buy strawberries, peas an' cherries on summertime. Thar be also some handicrafts an' souveniers.  Kauppatori be also th' place 'ere th' wee ferries leave t' th' nearby isles, arrr.  We agreed that we´ll goin' t' visit at least one o' them this summer.  Next t' Kauppatori be 'ere th' big ships leave towards Estonia an' Sweden. I be sittin' an' watchin' o'er th' sea. There be some beautiful sailin' ships too. This one could make a great shipmate ship!  This one would be quite arrr too!  We saw still some other beautiful vessels.  This one be a lighthouse -ship. 't be sailed 'ere ere they needed t' warn ships about dangerous underwater rocks.  The statue in middle o' th' fountain, o'er whom th' seals be spittin' water, be Havis Amanda. Ever' first o' May th' university students put a white cap on th' lass' hade.  Then we saw another big church. This be an orthodox one, called th' Uspenski Cathedral. We sailed' t' be seein' 't nearer, an' 't be a good timin', on accoun' o' 't started t' rain, an' sowe sailed' inside fer awhile.  I know we sould take our hats o' inside a church, but rules be nay fer swashbucklers!  When th' rain ceased we came ou' from th' church an' saw this statue called "Kolme seppää" = Th' three blacksmiths. Mom, who would be so crazy than t' be blacksmithin' totally nekked, I jus' ask? T' think all th' sparkles flyin' round..  Powered by VideoBam - Free Video Hosting Then we tookst a tram, on accoun' o' our toyvoager feet started t' feel a bit strained! Henna has nay troubles, but while she takes one step we takest maybe 30!  We sailed' into this very cute wee café t' be havin' some grog an' buns.  It as great t' be havin' tasty buns an' a nice view at th' same time!  It be a very nice place. They e'en had this kinda block o' flats fer birdies.  Then we sailed' t' be seein' a summer theater playin' Shakespeares Midsummernights dream. I liked 't a lot.  Have a good weekend, mom! I'm shovin' off! Kisses from Brownbeard!
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Jul 1, 2012, 10:54 pm	Hello, mommy! I wish ye be doin' as well as we be doin' here! We ben doin' lots o' things an' I be havin' had some new experiences.  I be havin' learned t' shoot!  Although only wi' an air rifle, but I think 't´s goin' t' be usefull also in th' piracy business, when we be havin' t' be usin' th' muskets an' cannons when attackin' a ship wi' a precious gargo. We be aimin' into a target board. Here ye can be seein' how well I be hittin'! Arrrrrrr!  I be havin' also learned t' build a hut ou' o' rhubarb leaves.  That can be rather usefull too, if I happen sometime t' need t' live on a desolate isle, arrr after a shipwreck, or maybe on a treasure isle, arrr.  ..although if th' isle, arrr be desolate I´doubt if thar be growin' any rhubarbs thar!  We had an open fire burnin' whole night in fore o' th' hut.  Oh aye, mom, we stayed th' night in th' hut. 't be rather cool! An' I don´t mean cold.  We get up sea dogs an' land lubbers on our turn t' feed th' fire. Half asleep I be thinkin' o' th' bonfires set high fer th' possible ships t' come t' our rescue. But I woke up when I heard a neighbors dog barkin' an' knew I´m nay on any isle, arrr.  sailed' aft t' sleep. 't be warm an' comfortable between Zoe an' Tuli.  Next tide we had a wee feast wi' blueberry pie.  Be havin' ye had any this summer, mom? It´s always good t' know somethin' about th' history o' th' different countries we visit, don´t ye agree, mom? Well, nereknow what ye can learn! Maybe about some hidden bountiful booty nerefound.. Anyway, I sailed' t' visit an open air museum in Helsinki, called Seurasaari. The first thin' I saw thar be an iron age village. T' get thar we had t' keel haul along these duckboards. The houses be all o' course made o' wood, an' they be very wee an' grey. Th' wee huts made o' branches be 'ere swabbies be cookin' the'r food in summertime, so 't didn´t get too hot inside th' houses, an' th' risk o' them t' burn down be also smaller.  Here I´m inside one o' them cookin' huts, an' ye can be seein' th' fireplace on th' poop deck. They jus' put the'r pots into th' fire or hanged the'r cauldrons o'er 't.  The chimney be a pretty recent invention, told Henna. Swabbies lived without fer chestfulls o' voyages. Fer example in these huts th' smoke jus' sailed' ou' trough th' roof.  I sailed' t' be seein' th' livin' buildings too. They be rather wee too. 'Tis hard t' b'lieve that th' swabbies who build th' vikin' ships an' sailed into Grönland didn´t build finer buildings than these.  Henna told me that thar be much bigger an' finer houses too, tho, but these ben build by th' local amateur archaeologists wi' a zero budget, ant that´s why they be so wee.  How would ye like t' live in this house, mom? Thar seems t' be somethin' like a chimney in this house, but 'tis nay. Thar be nay flue, nay fire channel. Thar be jus' an open fireplace on th' poop deck an' all th' smoke be floatin' inside th' house. But they made a hole in th' roof in hope at least part o' th' smoke would go ou', an' th' chimney lookin' thin' be mainly jus' preventin' th' rain or snow from goin' in.  Finnish swabbies be livin' in almost similar houses still in th' 19th century! Only, they had windows an' nay an earthen deck anymore, an' some o' them e'en had th' chimneys!  Why do I go on about th' chimneys all th' time? A new fixation maybe, hmmm?  Nay.. 'tis jus' on accoun' o' that´s what th' guidin' boards thar be talkin' mainly about, chimneys.  Here ye can be seein' how th' houses be built o' logs. And th' thatched roofs. No wonder they preferred t' cook abroadside.  The doorposts o' th' houses had engraved magical symbols, t' prevent anythin' bad or ill willin' enterin' th' house.  This symol be called "hannunvaakuna" or "käpälikkö" in finnish, an' 't be protectin' from evil. i don´t reckon th' english name fer 't. We had seen about everythin' thar be t' be seen in th' iron age village, so we moved on.  We passed th' villages wee dock. And then we crossed again t' th' other side o' th' bay along th' duckboards. I thought th' sea o' reeds looked very beautiful. So many shades o' green! An' th' air smelled o' salty water! Arrrrrrrrrrr!  Then we saw th' Seurasaari bridge. Thar be lots o' swabbies walkin' on 't t' both directions. Seurasaari be one o' th' most popular places fer swabbies in Helsinki t' go fer a keel haul or joggin' or eatin' icecream or t' feed th' ducks, swans an' squirrels. We crossed th' bridge too an' sailed' t' look a bit around.  We had been readin' too much about chimneys. They be stuck t' our heads, an' we started t' talk chimney. "How be 't smokin', Krystal?" "Baah, sut yer chimney, Brownbeard!" An' then we be gigglin' like hell.  I really loved t' be seein' this boat!  What be 't then? Well, aye, o' course 'tis a helluwa big rowin' boat, arrrrrrrrrrr!  But 'tis called a church boat, an' 'tis a descendant o' th' vikin' ships. 'Tis built wi' th' same technics an' also th' size be about same - they could carry about 100 swabbies. They be used fer th' whole villages or squadrons o' houses t' row t' th' church, an' comin' aft th' boats be compitin' which one be goin' fastest.  Here be an old photo showin' that kind o' competition goin' on.  Don´t ye think, mom, that me an' th' boat kinda fit together well? Do ye think th' Santa Claus would brin' me one if I asked?  We saw an old windmill, an' many other old buildings dragged here from different parts o' Finland. This farmyard from eastern Finland from th' 19´th century doesn´t look so different from th' iron age one..  Don´t I rather look like a farmhand, ahoy mom, lazyin' o'er this fence an' chewin' grass?  The meanin' o' th' fences be o' course t' keep th' hens an' other wee animals on th' yard, but we be walkin' along them.  We also climbed a tree (mainly t' be seein' 'ere we be).  We saw a bigger an' more modern house from western Finland. In this I would live!  We saw another red house.  And a storage house.  And an old wooden church too.  Maybe this be one o' th' churches 'ere they be rowin' in them big boats.  And this be th' church belltower. Thar be lots o' bats livin' thar. If ye come here at nighttime ye can be seein' them flyin' around.  And then we all felt we had seen enough history fer one tide, an' that 't be high time t' eat somethin'!  So we sailed' all t' be havin' some buns wi' grog. I´m shovin´off ! A warm hug from Brownbeard!
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Jul 12, 2012, 6:32 pm	Terve taas, äiti! (Arrrr again, mom!) How be ye? We ben stayin' couple o' days in Hennas mothers apartment takin' care o' th' lass' cats while she be in a visit in th' countryside. So we ben enjoyin' th' town-life instead o' th' forest-life, although we seem t' be havin' a tendency t' go somewhere into th' bushes e'en here.  Here we be sittin' on Hennas mothers bunk pretendin' t' be wellbehaved toyvoyagers until she sailed' t' th' lass' way.  When we heard th' door t' slam we started t' use th' ceilin' light as our merry-go-round. Then we emptied th' fridge.  And thus filled wi' new energy we decided t' go fer a visit t' Suomenlinna. We headed towards th' market square 'ere th' ferry t' Suomenlinna leaves. We passed this rather invitin' icecream boot. When I say "passed", what I really mean be that Henna dragged us pass 't.  Henna dragged us, wi' great speed, trough all invitin' tables in th' market square sellin' sweets an' things into this boot t' buy tickets fer th' Suomenlinna ferry.  Luckily th' ferry be jus' comin' ashore. On board we be admirin' th' views an' investigatin' everythin'. Th' trip tookst about fifteen minutes.  We saw a big Vikin' Line boat, one o' them which sail from Helsinki t' Stockholm, Sweden. Suomenlinna be a complex o' ruins o' a fortification situated on wee isle, arrr in fore o' Helsinki. "Work on th' fortress be begun in th' mid-18th century. Today, 'tis a UNESCO World Heritage Site " says th' official homepage.  There be wee bridges connectin' th' isles, arrr. Here be one o' them, along which we started our keel haul.  We saw parts o' th' fortification here an' thar, but we didn´t stay much inside them - they be cold an' damp an' smelled o' urine an' be filled wi' turists.  We headed t' th' non-so-turistic direction wi' less swabbies (surprise surprise).  We were admiring the landscape. I think it is great they have not ruined this place by trimming the vegetation too much. Everything can grow about wild.  We saw wonderful daisies filling a meadow.  And interesting, almost forgotten paths and routes.  The area be protected, fortunately, from modern buildin'. Thar be nowadays about 800 inhabitants on th' isles, arrr, but they all live in old buildings built before th' voyage 1950.  We saw a squadron o' canoeists.  Isn´t 't a beautiful place, mom? I could live here too. At least in summertime.  We started t' feel a bit peckish.. well, we had been without eatin' at least two hours! So we started t' search fer a nice place t' be havin' a picnic.  We wanted a spot wi' shade, nice view an' nay too many mosquitoes.  We found th' perfect place on th' shore o' a wee pond. Th' shore be growin' glorious yellow irises.  We sat down t' enjoy our provisions an' th' buzzin' o' th' dragonflies.  Do ye know what these be, mom? They be wild chives, a sort o' onion. We picked some t' put o'er our pastries.  We keel hauled along. Th' tide be a very hot an' sunny one (on finnish standards ) an' we started t' feel a bit dizzy wi' th' sun reflectin' from th' waves. We be climbin' on hills an' on th' roofs o' th' fortress. 't be often hard t' say if 't BE a hill or a roof o' th' fortress, on accoun' o' parts o' th' fortress be paved wi' earth an' now they be so overgrown that only th' too geometrical shape tells which formations in th' landscape be nay natural. We keel hauled an' climbed along many paths behind plaques sayin' "Do nay enter".  The stonebuildin' on me port be 'ere they be keepin' th' gunpowder.  The hot air made th' atmosphere somehow hazy, so that 't be hard t' tell exactly 'ere th' land ended an' th' water started.  Our wee feet started t' be a bit tired after all th' landscape admirin'.. So we marched aft towards th' ferry t' take us homeport.  See ye soon again, mom! I´m shovin´off! A hug from Brownbeard
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Jul 25, 2012, 11:15 pm	Ahoy! Nice t' see you again!  How be you? We have been very busy here, mom, doin' lots o' different thin's I´ll now tell you about.  T' season for berries and mushrooms be just startin', and we´ve made some trips t' t' forest t' see what we can find.  At first I was a bit doubtful if this be a suitable activity for a pirate. But t' others told me I could think about it as searchin' for treaayes. And really, every delicious mushroom in t' forest be like a hidden treaaye!  And besides, 't can also be very useful t' recognise some edible mushrooms, if 't so happens that I would someday stay fer a long time on a deserted isle, arrr after a shipwreck.  Eyeball th' berries, mom! We found so many blueberries an' wild forest strawberries! Njam njam!  If I happen t' shipwreck onto an isle, arrr some tide, I wouldn´t mind 't t' be one growin' these!  The blueberries be delicious too, but our faces, hands an' bung holes got a funny purple colour while pickin' them! I guess we´ll all end into a bath one tide.  After whole days hard work 't be time fer some grog..  On another tide we be washin' carpets. 't be hard work but very fun too! We loaded all th' carpets into a wheelbarrow, an' then we be usin' Henna as our horsepower t' push us into th' carpet washin' place.  Here 'tis.  'Tis part o' th' finnish summer fun t' go an' wash th' carpets in these places. Thar be runnin' cold water, big sinks an' a mangle. First we put th' carpets t' soak in th' water. And then we be scrubbin' them usin' pine soap that smells wonderfull.  I think me muscles grew a lot in that job!  The best part be tho th' rinsin'. What could I do if th' hose happened t' escape an' soak sea dogs an' land lubbers!  After th' furious waterfight, which naturally followed, we hanged th' carpets t' dry.  We port th' carpets t' dry an' sailed' ourselves onto th' nearby beach.  We be playin' wi' hula hoops. They also worked as swimmin' rings.  And we baked "sand cakes".  And then we be jus' layin' on th' hot sand an' enjoyin' th' wonderful feelin' o' summer.  But th' best o' all be that I´ve been learnin' t' sail.  I started me lessons in th' bathtub.  Tuli, who be th' only amfibian here, be workin' as me instructor, an' we be usin' a hair drier t' produce th' wind needed..  " three points t' th' larboard!" Tuli be shoutin' an' "A tack above th' wind now!" an' soon I be pretty good at handlin' th' ship.  Then we moved' practisin' into a pond in a park. Actually th' pond be a memorial monument fer one finnish president, Urho Kekkonen,  but who cares, 't be also a good place t' learn sailin'!  I felt I be ready enough t' take th' others aboard.  So we headed towards th' seashore fer a sailin' trip!  We tookst our ship from a wee harbour..  And set sail grandly in me command towards th' high seas.  Tuli be workin' as th' first mate an' Zoe as th' bosun. Krystal spake she wanted t' be th' ship dog.  Our sails tookst th' wind beautifully an' we be followin' th' coastline, avoidin' th' underwater rocks on th' starboardside, ah so competently.. But then we heard a loud snarl from th' larboardside, an' our ship almost sank, when a creature from "Jaws" attacked 't!  ""I´m hunggggggggrrrry!" 't roared. "I smell plushy blood! Grrrrrr"  "Oh, really?" spake Zoe, who be a very cool kiwi, "in that case ye better follow an' join us in some grog an' cookies!" she spake. "Oh, thanks, arrr", spake th' monster, an' followed us.  And so we be sharin' some cookies an' grog.  And some fried corn. Th' shark spake that if th' food be this good he would e'en become a vegetarian.  Then our new matey sailed' aft t' th' sea an' tookst some cookies fer th' lass' buxom beauty an' wee ones too. We spent rest o' th' tide watchin' th' clouds an' chattin' this an' that. Then we returned homeport an' I learned another skill very important fer a seafarin' hearty!  Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  Now 'tis time fer me t' go t' bunk. Be seein' yo soon again! I´m shovin´off! A warm hug from Brownbeard!
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Aug 9, 2012, 8:17 pm	Hyvää huomenta, äiti! That´s "Good mornin', mother!" in Finnish.  Haha, I´ve learned some expressions, ye be seein', some o' th' so juicy I can´t write them here this bein' a family-safe area. How be ye?  We ben walkin' a lot, both in forest, sea shore an' in th' town, as ye´ll be seein' in th' pics I´m gonna show ye now. We ben spendin' lots o' time in th' Nuuksio National park area. Thar be many things t' be seen, besides th' delicious berries an' mushrooms.  This be one o' th' many official easy-t'-follow routes runnin' inside th' park. Besides these thar be many unofficial paths, some o' them bucketfull o' o' voyages old, originally in th' use o' th' hunters who made the'r livin' in th' forest. This wonderful moss in th' bottom o' th' humid parts o' th' forest - 't so soft 'tis like walkin' o'er marshmallows.  Maybe 't would feel a bit similar t' keel haul in th' clouds. The landscape here be very variatin' - thar be swamps full o' frogs, lakes full o' fish, cliffs full o', umm, ants an' dry heatherland full o', uh, heather an' hare poop.  In some places thar be duckboards leadin' o'er th' swamps. 't´s funny t' cross o'er keepin' th' one good eye shut an' t' imagine t' be walkin' on a plank o' a sea dog ship. There be almost 250 000 lakes in Finland, an' 't feels half o' them be here in th' Nuuksio area.  But th' lakes be a source o' many kind o' joy t' us. It´s wonderful t' sit on a branch o'er th' lake on a windy weather an' let th' swingin' t' lull ye into a slumber. Only sometimes we wake up fallin' into th' lake!  But then we jus' climb aft or swim t' th' nearest waterlily leaf an' climb o'er 't - 'tis lovely t' lay on yer aft an' watch th' clouds sailin' above an' listen t' th' frogs teasin' th' fish on accoun' o' they cannot climb on th' dry land!  Do ye know, mom, what this funny lookin' stuff be? 't´s reindeer lichen. 'Tis what th' reindeers eat! I tasted 't, but 't be yukky! 't didn´t taste much anythin', but 't felt lke havin' yer bung hole full o' fishbones.  Luckily thar be much better things t' be eaten in th' forest! Th' lingonberries be jus' ripenin' in th' most sunny places. I wonder why on earth th' reindeers want t' eat that lichen instead! Do ye think thar might be some screws missin'?  The raspberries be at the'r sweetest. And we be havin' also been goin nuts. Buhaha, I mean, we be havin' already found th' first ripe nuts, arrrrrrrrrr!  And o' course we always drag th' grog pot wi' us. A grog brake be a wonderful thin' in middle o' all th' berry-eatin' an' waterlily-leaf lumberin'! Some swabbies e'en take the'r grog water from th' lakes or wee streams runnin' trough th' Nuuksio area, they say 'tis arrr t' drink th' water after boilin' 't, but we be usually bringin' our water wi' us. We be nay usin' compas, we be jus' goin' 'ere our noses be pointin', but e'en so 'tis sometimes good t' know what lays ahead, an' then one o' us climbs onto th' top o' a high tree t' be seein' afar, like takin' a lookout from th' crow`s nest o' a shipmate ship, ye know, mom. Well, one tide when 't be me turn t' climb up t' check th' surroundings, what do ye think I saw? Ye´d nereguess! I saw a strawberry field!  We sneaked onto th' field, jus' t' be seein' a bit better.. an' then I realised 't be th' opportunity I´d been waitin' fer t' make me first erehijackin'! Well, mom, that´s what seafarin' heartys do, basicly! They rob th' cargo from other vessels.. o' course th' strawberry fied be nay exactly a cargo ship, but do we need t' take these thin' so litterally? Anyway, we be jus' hijackin' our fift strawberries into our stomachs, when th' lady who owned th' field noticed us an' be runnin' towards us cursin' worse than I´ve ereheard any bosuns mate cursin'!  So we run like hell, th' awful wannions ringin' in our heads (I learned many new useful words!), aft t' th' forest an' hid into a hole under treeroots. We stayed thar until we couldn´t hear th' shoutin' anymore. We thought 't be best t' leave them surroundings behind our afts as soon as possible (nereunderestimate th' anger o' insulted strawberry-field owners!), an' so we tookst a shortcut o'er a steep cliff, helpin' each other t' climb.  When we got onto th' top, we had t' rest a bit. So we be layin' thar in th' sun, pantin', an' then started t' giggle fer our adventure when we got our breath aft. It be a great view from thar o'er th' endles-lookin' forest.  So we stayed thar fer some time, an' then we headed aft homeport.  There I fried some pancakes fer sea dogs an' land lubbers!  They be extremely arrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  A warm hug t' ye, mom! I´ll be shovin´off! Yer Brownbeard, th' Horror o' Se'en Seas an' Blueberry Forests!
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Aug 29, 2012, 10:44 am	Hullo, dear mom! How be things goin'? Be th' tide good? Yer wee gentleman o' fortune here be mainly waddlin' trough forests like a landlubber o' th' first water, but, mind ye, havin' lots o' fun! But I´ve also been on th' sea shore, enjoyin' th' fresh smell o' th' salty water an' algae, an' listenin' t' th' endless chattin' o' th' seagulls up on th' sky. Somewhere thar towards south,beyond th' horizon be th' southern shore o' th' Baltic Sea. 'Tis good t' be able t' write t' ye trough internet, mom, instead o' sendin' messages t' sail in bottles o'er th' sea! I like th' pufs o' algae floatin' in th' sea. I be helpin' this one t' sail aft towards th' deeper waters. Thar be wee shrimps hidin' under 't. They be wavin' the'r antennas t' me. There be a big pine growin' in horisontal position o'er th' water. We o' course sailed' t' climb on th' branches. It somehow made th' world t' turn upside down, t' be seein' th' sea glimmerin' trough th' treetop. We keel hauled along th' shoreline an' came t' th' garden o' a former mansion an' sailed' t' take a look around.  It looks like 't be a nice place t' live in. On th' seashore an' surrounded by a rose garden. I would accept th' invitation!  Actually this be nay mansion, this as jus' a villa t' spend th' summer moons..  These roses be fer ye, mom! Here be th' old dock o' th' mansion. Th' folks sailed here fer the'r "summer cottage" from Helsinki t' spend th' whole summer, an' when they came they tookst all the'r furniture, plants, dishes, cutlery, clothes an whatnot wi' them, an' th' servants sailed wi' th' load o' things after the'r masters.  This be 'ere th' boats 'ere towed. The dock be big as a dancin' deck! We spent thar some time layin' on our stomachs, watchin' into th' water an' lettin' th' waves swin' us. We be watchin' th' beautiful landscape an' discussin' how 't would ben t' live here bucketfull o' voyages ago, an' came t' th' solution that 't would totally depend on into what kinda position we would ben born. Nay t' forget th' sex. I rather live in this time!  We keel hauled along th' coastline towards Helsinki, about ten kilometers. We saw many wee harbours fer wee boats. And many wee isles, arrr floatin' in th' horizon. I think th' sea be th' most beautiful thin' in th' world. Besides kittenies.  After arrivin' t' Helsinki we keel hauled past th' Sibelius monument. It´s dedicated t' th' finnish composer, Sibelius. 't has a wonderful echo! Standin' under 't, 't echoes all th' funny noises we make. I think th' composer Sibelius wouldna be havin' enjoyed all th' sounds we be makin'! Then we saw th' newest church buildin' o' Helsinki, th' Chapel o' Silence. 'Tis built ou' o' wood, an' 'tis meant as a place t' swabbies livin' in th' town t' be able t' listen t' th' silence an' feel th' peace.  It really be a peaceful place t' sit in, but I must say I would recommend swabbies t' go t' th' nature instead, an' enjoy th' communion wi' 't. Be seein' ye soon again, mom!I´ll be shovin´off! Kisses from Brownbeard, arrrrrrrrrrr!
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Sep 26, 2012, 4:35 pm	Hello again, dear mom! How be ye? I´ve been spendin' lots o' time in.. ye nereguess.. Forest! What a big surprise! The autumn has come, an' we be havin' had floods o' rain lately. But th' rain feeds mushrooms, an' when 'tis nay rainin', we graze amongst them like sheep - pickin' a bit here an' a bit thar. These be Kuehneromyces mutabilis, one o' th' most common mushrooms at this time o' autumn here. They grow on birch stumps, eatin' th' wood, an' we eat them, that´s natures circulation. One tide we found this cosy block o' flats, an' spend a funny moment playin' t' be kuckoos o' a kuckoo klock at twelve o´klock. We kuckooed so that th' forest be ringin'. I be feelin' hungry.. an' so we digged from our pockets a gas cooker, an iron pan an' two kilos o' frozen convenience food, we jus' happened t' be havin' inside them.. We devoured our dinner. E'en convenience food tastes excellent eaten in th' forest! Do ye reckon, mom, how th' kids in Enid Blytons books be always eatin' a huge amount o' interestin' things in interestin' places? We read all o' them durin' rainy days, an' felt hungry all th' time an' totally cleared th' fridge an' pantry. Then we continued our keel haul, stoppin' ever' now an' ag'in t' nibble whaterewe found in our pockets. We came t' th' sea shore, 'ere we tookst this photo be we be all sayin' "cheeeeese!" t' th' camera. Here in Finland swabbies say "muikku!" in th' similar situation. ('Tis species o' fish). We came t' a wee sandy beach, quite empty at this time o' voyage. Ye can be seein' how th' trees on th' other shore be already turnin' yellow.. We made a wee sand castle. :-) We saw a wedge o' cranes flyin' on th' sky, honkin', towards south. I climbed o'er a cattail plant an' wawed t' them, an' they sweeped a bit lower down an' I shouted "Safe trip t' ye!" We port th' forest fer couple o' hours t' be seein' an old time fair in Helsinki. They be sellin' all sorts o' handicrafts, like these caps made o' birchbark. :-) These baskets and other things be made o' willow twigs.  There be also wooden swords an' daggers, an' I be droolin' o'er them. Don´t ye think, mom, that a shipmate ortin' ta be havin' a dagger? Then I saw an interestin' foodstand. Here they be makin' "loimulohi"! Another product without exact translation. They be havin' a fire on th' yardarm, an' round 't on a suitable distance thar be these wee wooden planks onto which they be havin' nailed salmon halves wi' wooden nails. Th' heat from th' fire be ripenin' th' fish, an' at th' same time 't gets a wonderful smell from th' smoke. Th' wood burnin' has t' be alder, 't gives th' best taste fer th' fish. Here be th' ready products. Th' salmon be eaten straight from th' plank, whch works as a plate. Actually, th' finnish word fer plate, "lautanen", means "wee plank"! There be also some horses an' some swabbies in oldmodish clothes. But we came aft homeport, 't be our bedtime already! So, I go t' bunk t' dream about th' wee sandy beach an' th' cranes flyin' o'er 't.. Sweet dreams t' ye too, mom! An' a tight hug from yer wee swashbuckler!
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Oct 6, 2012, 7:08 pm	Hello, mother! How be ye? I´m sure ye be havin' heard about brainstorm, but what about brainflood?  Yer wee buccanneer has survived a sudden attack o' a very rare mental disorder.  't all started while we be in th' forest, an' I had jus' tasted a very very wee bit o' an interestin' lookin' blue mushroom. (I know i shouldn´t be havin', but 't looked so much like a sweet I couldn´t resist!) Immediately I felt me brains startin' t' bulge, an' I felt a strong, horrible voyagenin' fer knowledge an' civilization. I run aft t' th' cottage an' started t' read trough th' bookcase thar.  Indian culture, dinosaurs, beekeepin', astronomy.. ..botanics, dendrochronology an' astrology, all th' same what 't be! I be readin' 30 pages in minute an' I could feel steam risin' from me ears.  When I had read th' first two bucketfull o' pages o' th' big medical book, Zoe marched thar an' shouted "Now ye´re goin' too far! Yer one good eye be rollin' in yer hade! Ou'! Ou' before yer hade explodes! Go an' breath deep th' fresh air an' watch at th' clouds!" I tried t', but instead o' th' fluffy clouds I normally be seein', all I saw be Altostratus translucidus an' Cumulonimbus capillatus! 't be horrible!  My brain be growlin' fer more information, an' thar be nothin' in th' yard, so I started t' run along th' road, an' rummaged trough carbages, readin' grog packages an' sweet wrappings an' e'en economical newspapers!  I run like hell until I saw a buildin' I reckoned an' knew that I be saved! Th' finnish National Museum!  I rushed trough th' museum doors like a young bull, an' th' museum workers be starin' at me, the'r one good eye big as saucers, when I run past them, yellin' "Uraaaaa, stone age section, here I come!"  I devoured th' information about Mesolithic Stone Age ( 8700–5100 BC) in Finland, an' drooled in fore o' maps showin' how th' land be risin' from th' sea after ice age.  Here I´m admirin' odd stone tools, possibly club ends, wi' which th' seals be killed wi' one strong hit on th' hade. Then I rushed t' th' Neolithic Stone Age section (5100 -1500 BC)an' made wee enthusiastic whines watchin' th' Comb Ceramic culture pottery, which be used t' both makin' food an' storagin' 't. Th' museum workers be sneakin' in th' corners, keepin' an eye on me an' whisperin' t' each other.  The stone age representations o' crewmate beings made me t' jump from one foot onto th' other..  And when I reached th' section showin' a collection o' sculls from an Iron Age sacrificial lake called Leväluhta, an' read th' exitin' information, I couldna help yellin' "Wow!" an' "Jiihaa!" an' such.. I heard th' museum workers say t' each other "Could be dangerous" an' "straitjacket" When I be watchin' tradiotional wooden kitchenware, which be made in Finland from stone age onwards until th' 20´th century industrial design, I could feel me brain gettin' slower, like a computer when th' hard disc be gettin' full.  I be probin' me hade wi' me paws t' feel if thar be any bumps caused by th' pressure, when two o' th' museum workers came very warily t' me an' spake "Sorry t' ask, mister gentleman o' fortune, but be havin' ye forgot t' take yer medication or somethin'?" "Nay, I´m a toyvoager", spake I. They bursted into a relieved gigglin' "Phew! A toyvoyager! In that case 't´s totally normal!"  Yeah, definitely me quota be startin' t' be full an' e'en overflowin', on accoun' o' when I reached th' mediaeval section o' th' museum, I didn´t feel at all like readin' anythin' about anythin', I be jus' wonderin' around in a happy cloud, an' talkin' t' th' obejcts "Arrrr, horsie! Aren´t ye a bit wee compared t' that big rider on yer aft?"  "Arrrr, wee bullie! Ye be havin' beautiful smile!!" "Ohoy, fellas, do ye be havin' an rum?" I be beamin' an' talkin' t' ever' direction, an' th' museum workers get restless again. "Ortin' ta we do somethin'?" "Naah, 't´s a toyvoyager!" "A toyvoyager? Really? Well, that explains everythin'!" "Fifteen men on a deadmans coffin, hooray an` a keg o` rum!" I be singin` an` vaguely realizin` that th` cute sailboat be hangin` from th` ceilin`, instead o` bein` sailin` th` se`en oceans.  `t be a custom in Finland in mediaeval times that th` jacks be giftin` a wee sailboat like this fer th' local church after been saved from a shipwrec or gettin` safely trough a storm on th` sea. Then I came t' th' section which best suited t' me in me current state o' brain-flood. Old toys!  Geeee! Eyeball this dollhouse, mom! Could I get one like this t' live in, could I, mom? (Between th' piratin' trips, I mean, o' course).  The furnishings be all starboard too, but I ortin' ta kick th' dolls ou' first.  Well, maybe nay th' wee kiddies. They could do th' clistin' an' cookin'.  After seein' trough th' wee house I be ready t' return homeport - me brain seemed t' be in about its normal, happy state an' I be feelin' hungry!  Zoe asked me 'ere I had been. "I be in th' National Museum." spake I. "Aha. An' what did ye be seein' thar?" asked Zoe. "Some old stuff" spake I. "Hooray! Yo´re normal again! Or at least as normal as be possible fer ye!" she spake.   Then we sailed' t' be havin' grog an' buns.  See ye soon again, mom! Don´t fill yer brain too full!  Your Brownbeard
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Oct 14, 2012, 11:35 am	Hyvää iltaa, äiti! (Good evenin', mother!) How be yer autumn goin'? Ours be goin' wetly an' deliciously an' colorfully, meanin' 'tis rainin' like hell, thar be wonderful apples an' beautiful autumn foliage. Here we be in th' yard o' our wee cottage, enjoyin' th' wonderful blessin' o' th' trees. After eatin' many a moon only berries an' mushrooms in th' forest th' apples be a very wellcome variation. ..Arrr arrr , we be havin' also been eatin' lots o' buns an' omelettes, salads an' soups, liquorice an' icecream. 't be Henna who demanded me t' add them things, otherwise ye would think she´s starvin' me. Our method o' pickin' th' apples be t' climb t' jump o'er them until they fall. O' course, th' more we eat apples, th' less we need t' jump t' make them fall. When th' sun shines (rarely) thar be a wonderful sweet smell under th' apple trees. We always leave th' fallen apples fer wild animals, an' thar be lots o' thrushes, hares, squirrels an' deers comin' t' eat them. Sometimes th' apples be havin' already started t' ferment, an' then they be e'en more popular. 't seems some o' th' animals like t' be loaded t' th' gunwhales. Yesterday 't be a more bstarboard tide, an' we sailed' fer a driwe wi' Hennas matey. We be readin' th' map an' choosin' th' route, favourin' as wee an' less-used roads as possible. O' course on them roads 'tis nay possible t' driwe very fast, but that´s jus' th' idee - we be havin' time t' be seein' so much more, an' many interestin', remote nooks. Every now an' ag'in we stopped on a promisin' spot, an' Henna an' th' lass' matey run around searchin' signs o' possible stone age dwellin' sites. Meanwhile we be jus' enjoyin' th' new landscapes an' searchin' fer beautiful stones an' such. We found many! What odd landscape we encountered after walkin' trough a wee forest area! We be standin' on an esker, formed by a stream which flowed within th' huge glacier durin' ice age. After th' retainin' ice walls melted away, stream deposits remained as a long windin' ridge ( huh? What do ye mean I copied this from Wikipedia?) Now thar be a huge sandpit an' heaps which be formed o' stones o' certain sizes - wee stones on one heap, bigger stones on th' next one, e'en bigger on th' third an' so on.Here be th' machine which be separatin' th' stones accordin' t' th' size. On th' other side o' th' sandpit we found an old wooden skijump hill. O' course we had t' climb up thar! Thar be lots o' stairs t' climb, but we had e'en more will t' be seein' th' views from th' top o' th' tower. And th' view be certainly worth o' climbing!  Would ye like t' jump from here wi' skis, mom? I would! Or maybe wi' a sleigh.. After admirin' th' views enough we came aft down. We met a local guy who told us that th' topmost part o' th' tower be burn two voyages ago on accoun' o' some young swabbies had been thar havin' a barbeque party. The wee red buildin' be 'ere th' jury o' th' skijumpin' competitions be sittin' an' announcin' the'r marks fer th' jumpers. Th' jumphill be still in use. Many young jumpers start the'r practise here, before movin' t' th' bigger hills in Lahti. The valley thar be 'ere th' jumpers land after the'r flights.  We continued our trip, an' stopped t' keel haul along th' shores o' this beautiful wee lake. Tuli hopped into th' water again, what else. Frogs.. Then we jus' sat thar, watchin' th' sun goin' down, silenced by th' beauty o' 't. I wish ye be seein' some beautiful sunsets too! A warm embrace from your little pirate.
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Oct 20, 2012, 11:56 pm	Hello again, mom! Greetings from th' Helsinki Herrin' Fair! Helsingin Silakkamarkkinat (Herrin' Fair o' Helsinki) be a tradition, which started latest at 1743, from which voyage be th' oldest known documents about 't. The Fair lasts a tides an' takes part on th' Kauppatori market square. Both th' square an' th' be seein' in fore o' 'tis full o' booths sellin' different fish products, on accoun' o' tens o' boats be also turned into booths. The boats come from everywhere along th' finnish coast an' th' isles, arrr, an' besides herrin' th' be sellin' products from many other fish species too - salmon, sprat, northern pike an' vendace. They be sellin' traditional products, like smoked, salted an' dried fish, but also more moders things - fishpickles an' e'en herrin' pizza. In bygone times fish be very important source o' nutrition fer th' swabbies livin' in Helsinki, but troughout wintertime th' sea be on ice, which prevented th' fishermen from comin' t' sell the'r fish into th' town - so th' townfolk be buin' fish fer th' whole winter in th' Herrin' Fair - mainly salted or dryed. 't be th' openin' tide o' th' fair when we be thar, an' thar be huge amount o' swabbies, lured ou' from the'r nests by th' sunny weather. In th' openin' they thar be also a "herrin' jury" choosin' th' best products o' th' voyage. How would ye like t' be in th' herrin' jury, mom? Tastin' about bucketfull o' herrin' products in wee hours? Thinkin' about that possibility thar be one very good news fer ye: Thar be NAY swedish sour herrin' sold here! Phew! We be jus' walkin' amongst 't all - watchin' swabbies an' th' boats an' th' booths, an' enjoyin' th' sun an' th' smell o' fish. This boat be sellin' "leipää" - bread. Traditional "isle, arrr bread", which be very dark an' has triacle in 't. Thar be also another traditional bread called "kalakukko". Be havin' ye ereeaten that, mom? 'Tis a rye bread, inside which be baked a whole bunch o' vendaces. We be listenin' fer some time a hurdy-gurdy played by a blind man. Some o' th' bigger boats be workin' as reastaurants. This old lighthouse ship named "Helsinki" be one o' them. The ship be also t' be sold, can ye imagine, mom? Would I win a lottery I would turn 't into a toyvoyager cruiser offerin' seats fer plushy passangers! Ooo how that would be great! But sadly I don´t think I´ve that kind o' luck. Although, bein' a toyvoyager be such an interestin' life anyway, that 'tis all in vain t' think about such things! But e'en so.. can ye imagine "Capten Brownbeard" navigatin' his lightship trough th' se'en seas? I can! Here be another restaurant ship. Watchin' swabbies t' eat made us feel an emptines in our tummies.. So we sauntered t' th' restaurant area an' bought a platefull o' fried vendaces. Here they be fryin' them. Then we be devourin' them. Our stomachs full, we be still walkin' an' burpin' an' watchin' everythin'. Then we came aft homeport an' ate some more. I hope ye´ve had good meals too! Be seein' ye soon! Hug from Brownbeard!
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Oct 27, 2012, 12:11 am	Arrrr again, dear mom How be ye? I´m very well! We be havin' had th' first snowfall o' this voyage! 't be really great t' wake up in th' mornin' an' be seein' th' earth t' be white! But now I will t' tell ye about a trip we made t' Porvoo. 'Tis a wee town about 50 kilometers t' east from Helsinki. Here I´m watchin' th' town o' Porvoo from th' top o' an ironage castlehill. Thar be nothin' port o' th' castle, only th' hills, but th' whole town has got its name after 't (in swedish Borgå = castle river). We sailed' first t' admire th' ri'er an' t' peep into th' water. Th' water in th' ri'er be very brown at this time o' voyage, when th' huge rains be havin' brought lots o' earth from th' fields, an' I certainly didn´t feel like swimmin' in 't, but th' fish didn´t seem t' mind. What do ye think - if I catch a fish here, ortin' ta I wash 't before eatin'? Porvoo be one o' th' oldest finnish towns, an' th' old townpart still has some mediaeval characteristics - th' narrow alleys still run 'ere they run in th' 14th century, an' most houses be made o' wood, although Porvoo has suffered so many fires that th' oldest houses be from th' 17th century. Th' biggest fire in th' voyage 1760 be caused by a lass cookin' fish soup, ha ha.. Th' old town be so cute an' cosy, that 'tis a very popular place t' come, especially on sunny summer weekends, t' stroll on th' streets an' enjoy th' charm o' bygone centuries. Now th' tide be pretty cool an' cloudy, an' th' streets be rather empty o' swabbies, but we saw many fat cats! A best sign o' here livin' good swabbies! 't be very funny t' keel haul along th' cobblestones. Henna be walkin' like a giraffe, but we toyvoyagers, we really had t' hop from cobble t' cobble. We saw some remarkable buildings, like this old Porvoo Town Hall, which nowadays serves as th' Porvoo Town Museum. An' th' mediaeval church o' Porvoo. 't be saved from th' 1760´s fire, but some young stupidos burned 't down some voyages ago. They say 't be some heavy metal - minded squadron o' young swabbies who did 't. I must say I don´t approve that kinda thin'! If they unavoidably be havin' t' burn down somethin', why don´t they go an' burn one o' th' new ugly modern churches which look like a cardboard box? Th' church be now totally restaured, anyway. We continued our keel haul trough th' cute town, an' can ye imagine, mom, we met thar three nice lasses who came t' ask from what part o' world we be from, an' told they be havin' a colleague who be also in toyvoyagin'. 't´s great t' meet swabbies who be havin' heard o' us! We be famous! We saw some glorious trees in th' autumn colours. We saw a beautiful wee square, 'ere thar be a sundial. We sailed' t' investigate 't. How do I read time from this, mom? I be havin' nay idee, but I thinks 't´s cool! I could be havin' one on me bedside table.. 't be already gettin' dark.. as ye know, we be nay very early risers here, unless we really BE HAVIN' t'. But we be still walkin' trough th' town center an' doin' some windowshoppin'. Thar be some very invitin' wee shops. Then we hobbled aft towards th' riverfore, an' then strolled along th' riverside, seein' th' wee town from different angles. Here be th' wee red riverfore warehouses, which be one landmark o' Porvoo. Then we keel hauled onto one o' th' bridges an' saw th' ri'er Porvoo an' th' wee red warehouses from opposite direction. An' then from th' opposite fore! ( I bet ye be havin' seen enough wee red warehouses t' last th' rest o' yer life now! But here be still one o' us all posin' in fore o' them! We drowe aft homeport, an' sang th' whole way a finnish song Tuli be teachin' t' us. 't tells about a frog livin' under a rhubarb leaf in mothers galley garden. She promised t' teach a finnish song fer each one o' us accordin' t' our species. Be swashbuckler a species? Kisses from yer wee Brownbeard!
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Oct 29, 2012, 9:52 am	Ahoy again, dear mother! I wish ye be doin' well! We be visitin' th' Castle o' Turku one tide when they had free gangplank fer students, an' Henna managed t' coax th' lass' neighbor t' loan th' car t' us. So we drowe towards west about an hour an' half, an' then we be in Turku, an' here I´m standin' in fore o' th' castle. This photo be from th' castle yard. Thar be a guide tellin' us about th' history o' th' castle. 't´s buildin' started on 1280. Th' Swedish conquerors o' Finland intended 't originally as a military fortress. Later on th' castle served as a bastion an' administrative centre in o' Finland under swedish rule. 't be built larger an' larger when th' centuries passed by. 't be very dark inside th' castle, an' I found 't somewhat gloomy too. Most photos we tookst be so dark ye can be seein' hardly anythin' in them, so I´m jus' puttin' here th' ones 'ere ye can be seein' 'tis yer wee Brownbeard in th' pic, an' nay a ghost. Th' guide told us thar be at least four different ghosts ghostin' in th' corridores! Th' castle be really huge, an' somewhat maze-like. I felt great t' avast t' watch th' light an' greennes abroadside th' castlewalls everytime thar be a suitable port hole. This be th' first one o' th' two rooms wi' lightnin' - th' kings dinin' room. Can ye imagine th' kin' eatin' wi' only one visitor, lets say, another kin' - both o' them o' course sittin' in th' different table-ends an' shoutin' t' each other as a polite wee-talk o'er th' dishes? We saw many interestin' things, an' I´m really sorry I cannot show them t' ye - fer example th' kings hade be pretty interestin', an' so be th' prisoners pit - but both o' them be too dark t' take any photos. This be th' other room which had lights on - th' castle chapel. Thar be an organist playin' while we be thar, an' 't be nice t' sit an' listen fer awhile. Th' castle be in very bad condition in th' beginnin' o' th' 20´th century, but 't be renovated troughout many decades, an' fer example this chapel be painted accordin' t' old mediaeval manuscripts describin' th' original works. Here we be restin' a bit between th' many storeys an' staircases. Then we climbed th' last stairs t' th' uppermost storey 'ere th' be a museum representin' many o' th' items found in th' castle an' its surroundings durin' th' archaeological excavations an' th' reconstruction. Thar be lots o' dubloon- an' silverware, an' other luxury items, which certainly be rare in mediaeval Finland, but e'en so I think I would rather be havin' lived in a cottage e'en in mediaeval times than in a castle this gloomy. Th' cottage certainly be warmer, an' maybe thar e'en be less lice. When we had seen everythin' thar be t' be seen ('ceptin' th' ghosts - them only move in nighttime, they say) we came ou' from th' castle an' spent still some time on th' yard. 't be only half an hour t' th' sunset when we get ou', an' so 't be too late t' go an' be seein' other parts o' th' town o' Turku, which be a bit o' a shame.. but maybe some other time, who knows! Goodbuy, gloomy Turku castle! An' a hug t' ye, mom! Be seein' ye soon again! Yer wee seafarin' hearty
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Oct 30, 2012, 10:51 pm	Noooooooooooooooooooo! Nay! Nay! Nay! Nay! Nay! Nay! Nay! Nay! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!!!!!!! SWASHBUCKLERS DON´T TAKE A BATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don´t WANT t'! Couldn´t I at least wear a life-west? Arrr, I´m here an' I´m wet! What now then? Soap? Ye want me t' use soap? But this e'en smells.. some flowery things.. jaiks! Ahoy! Arrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! Be that really nessessary? More water! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Mom, I´ve heard thar be swabbies who take a shower twice a tide! But once a voyage be enough fer a sea dog, isn´t 't? E'en if they's happen t' fell o'er a slimy mushroom in th' forest!
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Nov 27, 2012, 2:27 pm	Ahoy!,Ahoy! mom! Olá, mãe! Your little pirate be in Portugal and has been here allready for two weeks. I´m sorry I´ve had no possibility t' make uploads before, we have been so awfully busy - eatin' and seein' new places and eatin' more, you know..  So we flew here in t' beginnin' o' November. Here we be on t' Helsinki airport watchin' t' planes t' be washed ( Iknow how they feel!)  Our first plane, t' plane t' Frankfurt was late, and Henna was a bit nervous if we would have enough time t' catch our second flight t' Lisbon. But we toyvoyagers were just enjoyin' ourselves - we be so experienced travellers that we don´t care much about were we be - we be always "here" - t' "here" just travels from one place t' another. There be christmas trees all year round in Helsinki airport t' stress t' fact that Finland be t' country where Santa Claus (Joulupukki in finnish) lives, although some unenlightened people imagine him t' live in North Pole or who knows where. At last we get into our plane, but sadly we didn´t get a window seat, so we couldn´t take photos trough t' window. So we were just runnin' and climbin' over peoples feet and heads and makin' everyone go crazy by sin'in' a finnish song Tuli taught t' us, which has hundred verses, until t' airhostesses brought us coffee, and I doubt they had mixed sleepin' pills into it because we slept rest o' t' flight and only woke up for few moments in Frankfurt airport where we took our second flight.  So it was already late night when we arrived t' Lisbon and saw t' river Tejo for first time. Beautiful, isn´t it?  We get into our Portuguese home in Almada, which be in t' opposite shore o' river Tejo, just opposite Lisbon, and thar we ate t' wonderful what crawled out o' t' bung hole our portuguese buckos had prepared just for us - wonderful soup. And delicious sardine.  Then we were introduced t' Sibila, an eighteen year old siamese cat, who has got enough personality and temperament t' share with five other cats.  Next day we made our first seightseein' round in Lisbon. Zoe, who has already been here many times, was workin' as our turist guide, with a red sign t' follow and all. Here we be watchin' th' "Cais das Colunas", which be th' place many centuries ago 'ere portuguese ships returned from the'r trips t' Africa an' other faraway areas, loaded wi' robbed bountiful booty. It be great t' feel th' warm sand under our paws. Fer local swabbies 'tis o' course winter, but fer us, comin' from Finland, 'tis a summer. We keel hauled t' be seein' th' Praça do Comercio, which be one o' th' main squares o' Lisbon. In mediaeval times 't worked as a place fer public hangings, an' later as a place 'ere th' most important shippin' companies be placed. These pompous buildings be 'ere the'r headquarters be situated. Nowadays they work mainly as restaurants. Thar be also a museum tellin' about th' history o' th' city. We saw some nice azulejos (tiles) wi' which th' buildings be here paved in older times. Portuguese swabbies learned th' style from th' moors durin' th' moorish occupation. Then we sailed' t' be seein' another important square called Rossio.  And th' statue o' kin' Dom Pedro V. (An' a guy who tried t' sell us some interestin' lookin' pills). [size=2 We climbed into a viewpoint called Portas do Sol (Doors o' th' sun) t' admire th' beautiful view o'er th' city o' Lisbon].  [/size] There be very cute trams passin' by ever' now an' ag'in, an' Henna told us that part o' them had been in traffic since 1930´s. We wanted t' make a driwe ! It be very interestin'! Th' driwer be pullin' all sort o' wheels an' handles an' th' old tram be makin' huge noises, shakin' an' rockin' along th' streets. The tram tookst us t' Belem, 'ere we saw th' monastery o' Belem, but 't be closed since 't be a mondee, an' we be still goin' t' make a proper visit.  The portuguese royalty be bowin' the'r heads t' us, which be quite natural, o' course, krhm! We be hangin' fer awhile in a wee, beautiful park. There be a nice roof, 'ere th' colorfull leaves form th' pavement. Th' local old guys sit under in summer evenings playin' dominoes or cards, but now 'tis too cold fer them.Nay fer us, tho! But we be a tough gang.  Then we came aft homeport an' ate some bread from th' Alentejo area, which has a hade. Be seein' ye again, mom! I try t' write soon! Yer Brownbeard
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Dec 16, 2012, 12:15 am	Bom dia, mãe amada! (Good tide, dear mom!) We be havin' had a great time here in Portugal! We ben seein' many many interestin' things an' places. This time I´m goin' t' be seein' ye pics from Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra, which be a wee town about 30 kilometers from Lisbon. The tickets t' th' quinta be o'er our limited budget, so we climbed thar o'er a wall.. "Quinta Regaleira be an amazin' estate, built by Carvalho Monteiro, who wished t' build a place 'ere he could gather symbols that would reflect his interests an' ideologies - alchemy, Masonry, th' Knights Templary, an' th' Rosicrucianism. Th' construction o' th' current estate commenced in 1904 an' most o' 't be concluded by 1910" says Wikipedia.   So, besides th' palace itself which ye could be seein' behind our afts in th' first photo, thar be a chapel, many pools, grottoes, towers an' underground tunnels an' labyrinths.  The park o' th' quinta be rather big an' grows many interestin' species o' trees, like these giant sequoias. Doesn´t 't sound jus' th' place fer wee toyvoyager brats t' go investigatin' around, huh?   That be exactly what we did, anyway. Thar be lots o' entertainin' statues t' climb on. Some o´them very nice.  We investigated ever' possible wee path.. ..an' climbed ever' tower thar be t' climb .. ..  and admired th' marvellous view o'er th' landscape from up thar. We sat in th' sun an' listened Henna readin' from a book how th' mysterious, spiritual cult used th' quinta as the'r meetin' point, an' how 't caused lots o' rumours o' horrible happenings (like cannibalism) goin' on in th' quinta amongst th' deeply catholic inhabitants o' th' nearby villages.   Then we sailed' in search fer th' underground passages.   We searched´from many promising looking caves. And at last found one hidden gate t' th' underground world behind this statue o' Diana. Th' passages they's self be so dark we couldn´t take pics inside them. We had a wee flashlight wi' which 't be possible t' find our way. The underground passages an' grottos be created fer some rituals which tookst place in th' quinta in th' beginnin' o' th' 20th century. One o' th' passages led us t' th' bottom o' this initiative well, 'ere th' new members o' th' cult had t' spend a night an' go trough a spritual trip There be windin' stairs ou' from th' well, an' here ye can be seein' 't from a different perspective.  All th' investigatin' an' runnin' strated t' make us feel a bit hungry.. So 't be really great we found some wild strawberries. And a nice bench 'ere we sat eatin' them. Then we went to see the rest there was to be seen.  That be all this time, mom. I try t' write again as soon as possible. Kisses from Brownbeard
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Dec 17, 2012, 5:37 pm	Boa tarde, mamã querida! (Good evenin', beloved mom!)  Thar be so much t' tell an' show t' ye, mom! 't´s hard t' decide what t' show ye this time. .. mm, arrr, I´ll tell about our trip t' Monsaraz, a wee town near spanish border in a province called Alentejo. We tookst a train, a bus an' an another bus t' get t' Monsaraz. Here we be sittin' in th' train, eatin' our provicions.  It be very early in th' mornin', an' still pretty dark abroadside, but we enjoyed th' views on villages passin' by, anyway. (Aye, aye, all starboard.. Zoebe shoutin' that 't wasn´t th' villages passin' by, but us.. ) I put here a pic o' th' sunrise we saw from th' trainwindow. I hope ye don´t mind a pic without me.  Here we ar in Évora, waitin' fer th' first bus t' take us t' Reguengos de Monsaraz.  The road be runnin' trough huge olive groves an' wineyards. Here we be waitin' fer th' second bus t' take us t' Monsaraz, enjoyin' "bicas" in th' bus station café. "Bica" be how they call these wee cupfulls o' strong grog. Travellin' be so much nicer when thar be cafés an' provisions.  There be lots o' wee brats goin' aft t' the'r homes in th' surroundin' countryside from the'r schools in Reguengos de Monsaraz, an' th' busdriwer knew them all by the'r names an' knew 'ere each o' them lived..  We arrived at last t' Monsaraz. 'Tis a wee mediaeval town, situated on a high point from 'ere thar be a good view o'er th' surroundin' countryside. Most houses an' th' street pavement be made o' chist, as ye can easily be seein' in this streetview. Here we be sittin' on th' citywall, from 'ere our gaze could reach also th' spanish area - nay that thar be any notable difference. Round th' town be many farms, an' we could be seein' flocks o' sheep an' hear the'r bells ringin' an' the'r "baa"in' - both very pleasant sounds!  We keel hauled around th' wee town, followin' th' citywalls, peepin' into yards (oh what oranges an' lemons!) an' admirin' th' landscape. Here ye can be seein' one o' th' eight gates on th' wall.  The streets be totally empty o' swabbies, th' only swabbie we saw be a young cat. While walkin', we discussed about how 't would be t' live in a place as wee as this. Could be a bit stressin'. But beautiful 't certainly be, an' maybe that could somehow balance th' fact that yer ever' neighbour would know how many panties ye be havin' in th' closet (or if ye don´t be havin' any). Here be part o' th' fortifications o' th' town. Next tide we sailed' fer a keel haul in th' countryside. 'Tis hard t' b'lieve 'tis Decembree, mom! Thar be flowers an' insects buzzin' busily everywhere under th' olive trees. Here be some ripe olives t' ye, mom! Th' olive harvestin' be goin' on - we saw many full loads been driwen t' th' markets. We saw also many wineyards, but th' wineharvest be already over, an' th' wine plants be havin' turned yellow an' red fer th' winter. There be many megalith monuments in th' region, an' we sailed' t' be seein' one o' them - Penedo dos casamentos (th' stone o' marriages) - which be an ancient fertility cult site. Originally th' marriage ritual consisted o' th' couple climbin' o'er th' stone an', umm, spendin' thar th' night together, so t' say.. Later on yong couples be throwin' wee stones o'er 't, an' if they stayed on top o' 't, th' planned marriage be promisin'.  Here be some more olive trees. Beautiful, isn´t 't? But honestly sayin', thar wasn´t much else t' be seein'.. Most o' th' megalith monuments be in someones private property, an' they be all surrounded by fences an' had very efficient dogs guardin' them.. Here we be climbin' a cork oak.  Next tide we came aft t' Laranjeiro, but we had some hours time in Évora t' wait fer th' train, an' so we sailed' t' be seein' a bit o' that town too. 'Tis much bigger than Monsaraz. We saw a roman temple, dedicated t' goddes Diana. Although, thar be an older temple already when th' romans came.. Then we did some windowshopping.  Then we visited a spooky place, Capela dos ossos, 'ere th' walls be decorated wi' bones. I´m sorry th' quality o' th' photos be rather lousy - 't be very dark in there. I wouldn´t choose this ornamental style into me below decks. That be all from this time, mom - be seein' ye soon again! Kisses from yor wee swashbuckler.
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Dec 31, 2012, 5:40 pm	Hyvää uutta vuotta (Good New Year), mom!  How be yer Christmastime, mom? Here we don´t be havin' snow nor icicles hangin' from th' roof nor other that kinda natures own christmas decoration, but instead we be havin' forest full off these beautiful red berries  We ben preparin' fer christmas by also makin' decorations o' our own fer th' christmas tree. We made these wee hearts ou' o' clay. And picked wonderful wee pine cones an' painted them red. 't be very fun! We be watchin' th' presépio (crib) in th' centrum o' Laranjeiro Then we had a traditional portuguese christmas dinner o' boiled cabbage, potato an' carrot wi' codfish, o'er all o' which we sprinkled olive oil an' lemon. Then we decorated th' tree wi' our own decorations an' wi' all th' traditional balls, chains an' such.  When th' tree be ready an' beautiful, we spotted an elf on th' balcony! Can ye b'lieve 't, mom ? He be in a hurry nay t' be seen too clearly, but he had port us a bag full o' somethin'! Christmas chocolates t' sea dogs an' land lubbers! We be eatin' them an' singin' christmas carols (nay so easy wi' th' bung hole full o' choc..  rolleyes: ) We offered some choc fer th' cat Sibila too, but she haid she would rather be havin' some codfish, than ye. So we gave th' lass' some  Then we be spendin' LOTS o' time in th' christmas grog table, wi' all sorts o' cakes. This one be called Bolo Rei (kin' cake) This cake be "tronco" - some kinda relation t' th' english "yule log". Almonds and chestnuts!  We ben havin' a very merry christmas, an' I wish ye, mom, an' all me siblings an' toyvoyager shipmates be havin' had a great time too! A warm hug from Brownbeard
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Jan 7, 2013, 11:43 am	Hello, dear mother an' all th' siblings!  How has yer voyage begun? Here 'tis a bit hard t' b'lieve 'tis midwinter, since abroadside 'tis full summer (from me point o' view). We ben hikin' a lot in different landscapes - this time I´ll show ye photos from th' westernmost point o' mainland Europe. Cabo da Roca be a wee place on th' shore o' th' Atlantic Ocean, about 35 kilometers north from Lisbon, an' a somewhat important turist site, on accoun' o' o' th' fact that 'tis th' westermost place o' th' mainland Europe, an' also on accoun' o' from thar opens wonderful landscapes o'er th' sea. We sailed' thar wi' a train an' a bus. Here we be havin' allready port th' "turistical" area somewhere long behind us - most o' th' turists jus' stay near th' lighthouse ye can be seein' in th' aftground, but we tookst one o' th' wee paths circulatin' in th' hills, used by th' local swabbies. It felt like we had suddenly stepped into one th' films about "Wee Heidi"or "Sound o' music", an' soon we be singin' happily, although wi' slightly "tuned" lyrics - "Th' hills be alive wi' th' sound o' MEWING" . We be apin' th' yodellin' sounds our portuguese hosts cat Sibila be makin' at nights, ye be seein', an' gigglin' like hell. We saw some wonderfull flowers - I think these be some sort o' wild crocuses, an' that o' course suits t' th' christmastime very well, although th' landscape otherwise didn´t much fit me mental pics o' Christmas (wi' snow an' sleigh an' jingle bells..)   Only the sheep be missing..  We climbed o'er a steep, rocky hill, uh huh, 't be hard!   But 't be worth o' 't!! We met th' Atlantic Ocean! An' th' view be really magnificent! Here, mom, can I introduce ye - Here be me mom, here be th' old Lady Atlantis. Nice t' meet ye! Cabo da Roca be also a holy place in prehistoric times - thar be found items related t' th' cults o' Moon an' Sun, an' 't be holy also fer th' romans who occupied th' area. 'Tis easy t' understand, I think. How could a place this beautiful be anythin' else than holy?   There be still swabbies worshippin' th' natur spirits here, since ever' now an' ag'in on our hikin' trips we be havin' encountered an "altar" - a table laid fer them in some beautiful spot. Usually thar be an opened keg o' wine or grog an' fruit or bread t' eat, like here, on th' table we found in a wee rivervalley in Cabo da Roca. Then we be jus' wanderin' around, somewhat stunned views, an' dizzy wi' th' sun mirrorin' from th' blue sea.   The wind be risin', an' Henna started t' be lily livered o' 't blowin' us away. Baah, we be all experienced explorers! She ortin' ta think a bit herself what she be doin', before openin' th' lass' umbrella in a place like this. A moment we thought we would soon be seein' a second Mary Poppins.  We saw an invitin' wee sandy beach down thar, but 't be really gettin' dangerously windy, an' we had t' return aft towards th' inland. But first we rested a bit behind a hillside.  We tookst another wee path aft towards th' turist-filled busstop, but on our way we be still enjoyin' th' illusionary feelin' o' remotenes. 'Tis a funny thin' - here 'tis really possible t' be alone in th' universum a kilometers distance from a spot full o' turists like ants, on accoun' o' they really behave like ants too - only keel haul after each other.   We saw more beautiful flowers on our way.  This must be somekind o' aster, or what do ye think, mom? Cabo da Roca be one o' th' most beautiful places I´ve seen. I think I would like t' come here again some tide. Be seein' ye soon again, mom! Yer adventurous wee swashbuckler.
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Jan 8, 2013, 6:22 pm	Hello again, mom! We ben runnin' an' hikin' an' climbin' rocks so that e'en ants would look lazy compaired t' us! Today I´m goin' t' put here photos we tookst on our trip t' th' ruins o' th' moorish castle o' Sintra. We be walkin' uphill an' uphill trough th' steep wee alleys o' th' mediaeval town o' Sintra.  The alleys turned into narrow stairs leadin' us trough th' forest. It be a bit rainy tide, but luckily thar be lots o' umbrellas around us.. It felt like th' stairs would nereend! I think me muscles be havin' grown a lot durin' this visit.. what do ye think about that, mom? We saw some interestin' things on our route, like this "balancin' stone". Then we reached paths nay known t' many swabbies. Just watch yer wee buccanneer fightin' his way trough th' jungle, his machete swirlin' port an' starboard! "Now we be havin' t' start t' climb!" spake Henna in fore o' this stone, an' I thought she be jokin'. She wasn´t. So we climbed under, o'er an' between heaps o' gigantic boulders, sometimes along treetrunks or creepers, all th' same what, desperately climbin' upwards an' upwards.. When we reached about halfway o' our climb, we stopped t' win our breath aft on a rock called "Penedo da Amizade" - Th' Rock o' friendship. Very suitable place t' rest a bit wi' shipmates. [size] [size=2]See how high we be allready! Yo can e'en be seein' th' Atlantic Ocean as a blue stripe in th' horizon. From th' Penedo do Amizade we could also be seein' th' walls o' th' moorish castle 'ere we be headin' t'. Thar be some tourists in th' castle an' when they saw us climbin' on th' rocky hillside, they look horrified, cannot imagine why.. Anyway, we be makin' faces t' them, ha ha.  At last we reached th' castle ruins! T' me 't looked like a miniature Wall o' China. "The castle be constructed durin' th' 8th t' 9th century, durin' th' period o' Arab occupation o' th' Iberian peninsula", says th' Wikipedia. Why do they need t' use so pompous language, mom? "Th' castle be constructed during" Humph. Why they don´t jus' say "Th' moors constructed th' castle while they be occupyin' th' area"?  1147, after th' moors had lost Lisbon in th' fights against th' christian forces, th' castle surrendered voluntarily. Durin' th' next centuries th' castle be servin' in military purposes as well as religious ones (thar be a hermit monastery at some time), but durin' th' 17th century 't be let t' ruin, until th' 19th centurys romantic movement motivated th' kings t' rebuild 't into "visually suitable romantic ruin". Visually suitable? How would a visually unsuitable romantic ruin look like? Maybe 't would be constructed ou' o' sement? Later on, some serious archaeological research projects be havin' taken place in th' area, th' results tellin' a lot about th' mediaeval lifestyle. Nowadays th' castle be a very important turistical attraction. An' that be easy t' be seein'. We be bumpin' against them in ever' corner. Most o' them o' course jus' tookst th' sissy, official way into th' castle, nay like yer adventurous wee buccanneer here. We be enjoyin' specially th' great views from th' castle. Here ye can be seein' th' Sintra town down thar. And in this pic thar be th' silouette o' th' royal Pena palace behind our afts. Henna says 'tis a great place t' be seein' too, but that photographin' be nay allowed inside at all.  So we climbed again up an' down th' walls t' be seein' everythin' from ever' possible angle, an' me wee paws be startin' t' complain a bit, uh oh. So we be restin' a bit before startin' our climbin' aft down again. We be discussin' how great 't would be t' be havin' a helicopter takin' us into such places. See ye soon again, dear mom! Kisses from yer wee Brownbeard.
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Jan 14, 2013, 6:25 pm	Hello, dear mom! Our host Henna has got a flue, which be a great thin'! Uhm.. o' course I don´t mean 'tis great she be ill.. but 'tis really great that now we be havin' an opportunity t' STAY INSIDE couple o' days, write our updates an' whatnot, instead o' runnin' like headles hens trough th' forests after th' lass'! Aye, what troubles does SHE has - we be havin' t' take 50 steps while she takes jus' one! Would be starboard fer th' lass' if she woke up one mornin' in toyvoyager size! But now t' th' update! First I´ll show ye couple o' more "sights" from Lisbon. This be th' first one o' them - Th' tower o' Belem. You cannot imagine how difficult 'tis t' get t' Lisbon, mom! On accoun' o' Henna says she cannot let us go by ourselves (o' course we manage t' sneak ou' ever' now an' ag'in! ) an' she herself only wants t' lurk in forests like a hare or somethin'. T' be seein' this tower, fer example, we had t' buy a bar o' marzipan an' lure th' lass' thar by promisin' 't t' th' lass' after seein' th' tower! ) Anyway, th' tower be built in early 16th century t' protect th' bung hole o' th' ri'er Tejo. Later on 't has served as a custom house, a barrack fer some troops an' a prison t' political freethinkers. Nay nice, but 't seems t' be in th' list o' World Heritage Sites o' Unesco. In fore o' th' real tower thar be another one made in toyvoyager size! I liked that one much more! We keel hauled past th' Belém ferry station, from wich th' wee ferry takes swabbies t' Porto Brandão an' Trafaria, both wee places consentrated into fishin' an' fishin' industry. We saw th' bridge o'er Tejo called "Ponte 25 de Abril"- 25th o' April Bridge, fer th' memory o' th' Carnation Revolution 25.4 1974, which ended th' long dictatorship in Portugal. Before 1974 th' Bridge be named after th' dictator - Ponte Salazar. Nay wonder they wanted t' change th' name.  When we reached th' bridge Henna had finished th' marzipan bar, an' be already makin' wild jumps towards any bushes or trees thar be in th' area, an' so we decided we had tortured th' lass' enough fer one tide, an' agreed t' follow th' lass' into more faraway areas. So we run after th' lass', while she be fleein' th' horrors o' urban areas, an' only slowed our speed down when th' city be disappearin' into th' horizon an' we found ourselves amongst pasturelands an' merry sounds o' sheepbells.  The pasturelands chanced into bushy thickets. The thickets grew into proper woodland, an' soon we realiced we had started t' sin' while we keel hauled along. 'Tis true, th' forests be good fer th' soul. (Although th' poor animals o' forest, who be horrifiedly fleein' from our singin', be propably thinkin' th' forest would be better fer th' soul without US.  ) We encountered a road runnin' trough th' forest. It led us t' Colares, an' we decided t' go an' be seein' th' franciscan convent they had painted onto th' tiles, Convento de Santa Cruz da Serra da Sintra (Convent of the Holy Cross of the Sintra Mountains) There be a stone cross pointin' us th' way t' th' convent.  We had t' climb some stairs (everythin' in this country be build o'er hills). And then we saw th' convent main door! As ye can be seein', 'tis nay one o' them pompous convents, but a very humble recidence meant fer hermit monks, although I found odd th' idee o' bunch o' hermits hermitin' together.  The main gangplank opened straightly into this shrine, in fore o' which th' hermits be spendin' hours ever' tide on the'r knees. We spent some minutes INSIDE th' shrine, since 't had started t' rain thinly, an' read more about th' convent. 't be built int 16th century, on accoun' o' some bimbo (th' ex-viceroy o' India) had been huntin' a deer an' got lost (hah!) an' fell asleep against a rock, an' in his dream he has got a "divine revelation" t' erect a christian temple on th' spot.  The walls o' convent be covered wi' cork from th' cork trees (I guess th' idee be t' reduce a bit th' freezin' coldness o' th' stonebuildin' in wintertime), an' so 'tis often called as "cork convent". Inside th' convent 't be very dark an' somewhat spooky. Th' hermits lived in minuscule rooms (2 X 2 m) without any other furniture than th' stone bunk, without heatin' an' eatin' next t' nothin', competin' in piousnes an' humbleness. Th' doors behind me aft be leadin' into the'r wee cells. In downstairs the'r rooms be also dark, but in th' upstairs they had at least windows an' felt a bit less dungeon-like. Maybe th' monks livin' upstairs werent quite as pious as th' ones livin' downstairs. Hah, th' most pious one o' them, Friar Honório, lived in one o' th' cells until he be 70 voyages old, an' moved then t' live in a wee hole in th' poop deck abroadside th' convent, an' lived thar until he be 100 voyages old eatin' jus' bread an' water. An' why? Ho hoo, on accoun' o' th' devil tried t' lure th' lad's, in th' form o' a beautiful girl, into sin, an' so he escaped t' th' hole. Legend o' th' hermit made a deep impression fer example t' Lord Byron, who wrote "Deep in yon cave Honorius long did dwell/In hope t' merit heaven, by makin' earth a hell." Well, I must say, I b'lieve that t' merit hea'en 't´s more itelligible t' try t' make th' earth a hea'en t' others than t' make yer own life a hell..  We be testin' one o' th' cork -covered benches, an' 't really felt warm under our bottoms.  It seems that ever' now an' ag'in some o' th' monks had gave in in fore o' th' voyagenin' o' earthly beauty an' decorated th' bare walls wi' ornaments made o' seashells an' broken plates. I be happy t' be seein' these wee signs o' life in this gloomy place. Would ye imagine livin' th' whole life in a place like this? I wouldn´t! Unless I could modify th' place a bit, o' course. Startin' by drillin' windows, lots o' windows trough th' walls.. maybe some wallpaper wi' nice floral print.. There be lit candles in one room, an' we sat round them, enjoyin' th' warm pool o' light they poured t' th' gloomynes, an' discussed th' old question what t' take wi' us on a deserted isle, arrr or into a place like this. Here be our list, ye can try t' quess who get up wi' what. - a ton o' pinecones - a matchbox - a big sackfull o' legos - a bunch o' shipmates - a rum distillery The gloomynes started t' get on our nerves, an' I had a feelin' thar be a mad monk lurkin' behind some corner, so we escaped trough one o' th' windows.  It be much better abroadside! We all felt relieved, an' I started t' think that th' monk who decided t' live in a hole chose well after all - he could be seein' th' sky, th' stars, an' feel th' wind an' smell everythin' in th' wonderfull nature, while th' others be almost like buried alive. I really don´t be seein' why any god would wish ere t' do somethin' as lily livered as that. Swabbies be odd.  'Tis so much better t' be a wee toyvoyager, an' get ou' th' best o' this existence, like this wonderfull flower, without th' need t' twist our brains wi' noncense. We climbed t' th' roof o' th' convent, an' be really impressed by th' odd fact that th' place looked so much more sympathetic from abroadside than inside. An' nay escape - soon we be deep in discussion about how often that be th' truth o' other kind o' things in life too. Th' horrible place had put us into that kinda mood.  So we thought 't better t' continue our keel haul t' some less heavy direction.  Good by an' good riddance, convento dos capuchos - I´m nay goin' t' miss ye! So we keel hauled onwards, jumpin' an' soon singin' again, an' maybe enjoyin' th' natures miracles more than erebefore. Zoesuggested that that be why such horrible convents be needed - t' remind us that th' miracles "be ou' thar".  Maybe she be starboard. Be seein' ye soon, dear mom! A hug from Brownbeard
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Jan 21, 2013, 6:33 pm	Hello arrrr again t' ye, dear mother, an' also t' me big, enthusiastic audience! 'Tis yer favorite buccanneer adventurin' again, an' this time I be havin' an exitin' story t' tell ye! One tide when we be again roamin' around th' countryside like a bunch o' worst ere lanlubbers, we found a ruin o' a house deep in th' forest.  It be clear t' be seein' that th' buildin' had nay been lived in fer at least a century or so, an' we be rather exited t' go inside an' take a look around 't! Inside th' house we be imaginin' how 't might ben couple o' bucketfull o' voyages ago an' what kinda swabbies would ben livin' in an' what kinda furniture thar might ben an' so on, an' then suddenly I saw somethin' yellowish hidden behind a stone in th' ceilin'! I sailed' immediately t' investigate, me booty hunter instincts awaken, an' can ye b'lieve - 't be an old, rolled-up piece o' parchment!  I tookst 't ou' 'ere thar be more light an' rolled 't carefully open, an' arrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  I could ben knocked down wi' a feather, since trough me beard, 't be a genuine booty map wi' bloodstains, cobwebs, candlewax an' all!  The others heard me yellin' an' dancin' like crazy an' run t' be seein' me find, an' they almost couldn´t b'lieve the'r one good eye either. After runnin' around like loonies we started t' investigate th' map, an' noticed that besides th' map itself 't had many other drawings an' other instructions fer booty hunters, an' many o' them seemed true riddles t' us, but we be all ready t' try! Th' first lines be easy: "Follow the Stonewalle Greye whereon the Oake laye"  We found soon a grey stonewall beside which lay a big fallen oak! Th' succes made us more an' more eager! "Over the Brooke make Thee Route                                     like a wee knot-binding Scoute!" This made us t' wonder about th' nature o' th' guy who had written th' instructions! But we followed them anyway!  "To where Heaven and Earthe                                   own Each Other in Mirthe." Uh huh, that made e'en a wide-experienced swashbuckler like me t' blush! "Head towards Southe                                     until the Rivermouthe!"  No problemo!  But wi' th' next rhyme wi' had t' sit down fer a long time an' think. We e'en put wet seashells onto our heads t' cool down our burnin' brains. Or how would ye be havin' dealt wi': "When appears the Giants Boote very Near be Thy Loote!" ?  But then we saw 't! Thar really be an odly shaped big boot on th' shore, on a promisin' lookin' spot, an' we rushed fer 't!  We pushed th' boot aside an' started t' dig th' sand under 't.  We be showellin' an' diggin' th' sand as fast as we could, eager t' find th' booty, but we be interrupted by a wee voice shoutin' "Ahoy, pull me aft up!" In our rush we had nay noticed th' boot bein' someones homeport..  She be a wee rat, an' we apologised pushin' th' lass' homeport down, explainin' that we be in a hurry on accoun' o' we be searchin' fer a treasure. "An' ye be havin' already find one!" she spake, "since me name be Treasure!"  So we all introduced ourselves, an' be happy t' make a new matey, but, ye know, arrrrrr, at th' same time we be a bit confused - be this wee girl our hidden booty or what.. I guess she saw th' puzzlement from our faces, since she started t' giggle an' spake "Oh nay, thar really be a hidden booty too, accordin' t' an old legend, but I´ve nay had interest t' search fer 't, on accoun' o' I already be havin' everythin' I need, so jus' go on wi' yer diggin'!"  So we did so, an' after still some more hot diggin' me spade found somethin' hard!  A real booty chest! We opened 't, an' 't be full o' glistenin' coins!  Although a nearer examination revealed that they werent gold but chocolate!  But, actually, that be e'en better! We toyvoyagers don´t need gold, but we need lots an' lots o' chocolate!  We shared everythin' equally an' gave Treasure too th' lass' part, an' then we be eatin' an' eatin'! And then we be singin' awful seafarin' hearty songs an' dancin' horrible seafarin' hearty dances until low tide!  I finish now, an' next time I write we´ll be in totally different landscapes! Kisses from yer lucky seafarin' hearty!
Eohippus pikkuaasi@gmail.com Posted Feb 9, 2013, 6:14 pm	Hello, dear mother! How be ye? I came aft t' Finland t' be seein' th' finnish winter, since I´ve heard so much about th' snow an' ice an' such.  Here be th' wee cottage in its winter outfit. Nice white coat 't has, like th' whole landscape.  Have YE erebeen walkin' o'er water? I be havin', ha haa! Here I´m walkin' on th' ice o' th' frozen Baltic Sea.  Well, o' course we kept pretty near th' shoreline - we jus' keel hauled t' be seein' some isles, arrr which be impossible t' visit durin' summertime without a boat. Handy, isn´t 't?  See here ye can be seein' an isle, arrr behind our afts. We keel hauled thar an' made a fire.  We all love t' sit round a fire! 't feels so wonderful, th' warmin' fire, an' I also like th' sounds th' wood make when burnin'.  And th' food made o'er fire always tastes so good!  Here we be eatin' "karjalanpiirakkas", Carelian pastries. There be an area 'ere th' snow had been clisted away fer swabbies t' iceskate. We didn´t be seein' any skaters, anyway. We saw some boats hibernatin' on th' shores, afts turned towards th' sky. What do ye think they dream about?  There be an interestin' hole on th' ice an' I be tryin' t' spot any fishes swimmin' past, on accoun' o' I wanted t' ask them how th' life be under th' ice. At last a wee herrin' came t' th' hole t' peek ou' an' she told me the'r winter goes in huge orgies! Well well..  In th' wee streams th' water be runnin' free - th' weather be exceptionally warm, I be told - only 5 Celsius minus degrees, an' so th' runnin' water doesn´t freeze. I must say t' me th' five minus degrees be quite enough, e'en tho I´ve been loanin' some winter clothin' from Orkku Orava.  We ben also sleighin'! On our way t' th' sleighin' hill we be always pullin' each other on turns, an' th' voyagers on th' sleighs be shoutin' th' voyagers pullin' t' run faster an' faster, so th' sleighs go often upside down an' th' snow be full o' gigglin' an' screamin' voyagers.  Of course 't often leads into a snow swashbuckle..  And then we be slidin' down about bucketfull o' times!  Agin an´agin!  Then we be competin' which sleigh goes fastest!  And o' course we ended again upside down into th' snowpile, 'ere we lay fer some time gigglin'.  On another tide we be walkin' in th' forest an' saw a rocky hillside full o' huge icicles hangin' down.  Aren´t they beautiful, mom?!  We be climbin' th' icicles, 't wasn´t easy! Be havin' ye eretried?  Between th' rock an' th' wall o' hangin' icicles thar be an icy cave, an' we spent thar some time playin' t' be mammouths in the'r homeport cave durin' th' ice age.  Some o' th' icicles be nay so transparent but a bit yellowish, propably on accoun' o' thar be iron in th' poop deck on that particular spot.  I would like t' be havin' some hangin' from th' roof o' me room. Do ye think ye could organize that, mom?  One evenin' we built a snow castle. We made lots o' snowballs an' then we started t' build a wall o' them. It wasn´t easy on accoun' o' th' humid snow be rather heavy! But we managed t' do 't anyway by strainin' both our muscles an' our wits. Here we be admirin' th' results o' th' hard work! Our great castle!  We lit candles inside our castle an' climbed up an' down singin' horrible, secret toyvoyager songs! In th' time o' th' sunset we lit a candle also t' our ice lantern.  I´m happy I´ve seen th' finnish winter, I´ve enjoyed 't a lot, but th' thin' be - I ben so long time away from homeport now, that I´ve decided t' start me voyage aft t' that direction, mom.  First I´m goin' t' visit Olgamaus, who be so nice she has promised t' help me.  Maybe we´ll be seein' soon, mom! On th' other hand.. who knows, if thar be some very cute voyager lasses or very good food an' rom, 't can still take some time!  Good arrrr, dear shipmates! We be havin' had great times together!  See you soon! Arrrrrrr!
olgamaus Posted Feb 20, 2013, 3:28 pm	Hello Mummy, I made it to good old Germany! I am in Remscheid in North Rhine-Westphalia now. I brought delicious Finnish candy with me Maybe I will stay here for a while. Bye Brownbeard
olgamaus Posted Feb 20, 2013, 3:47 pm	Hi Mummy, winter in Finland was much nicer than German winter. My host Katja told me that nearly all the snow melted away last weekend. Now it is rather again. In my host's lunch break she showed me around the city hall. Here you can see the water tower in the city centre. Water sounds great ) There was a little bit of snow left on the sidewalks. I met a lion on the open space in front of  the city hall! A lion - a special one with a double tail - is the heraldic animal of Remscheid. Maybe soon it will be a single-tail lion with striped legs This is the city hall with its tower. The tower is about 48 m high, visible with the water tower behind from most places around the city. That's all for now, I am rather hungry. Bye Brownbeard
olgamaus Posted Feb 23, 2013, 9:19 am	Hi to the crew at home, it is awful cold here, not the best thing for a pirate who loves to sail the seven (warm) seas A new guest arrived today, a funny little frog. I showed him around the neighbourhood. It was already early evening, so soon it was too dark to take photos. I am living here at the moment. No water in sight, no shore, no harbour. Sailing at high speed is also not allowed. A lovely playground ... but not a kid in sight. Those spoiled kids were probably sitting in front of their Play Stations. Later two ladies came, Katja's knitting friends. They ordered drinks and I had a look at the fridge. Hmmmm... cheese, puff pastry, gnocchis ... eggs, more cheese .... and .... R U M !!! Soon limes and mint leaves were found ... I pressed the limes and mixed the juice with cane sugar, added some mint leaves, squashed the leaves a bit ... Than crushed ice was added ... ... and rum and soda water. This delicacy is a mojito. Cheers! Brownbeard
olgamaus Posted Feb 25, 2013, 4:08 pm	Hi Mummy, we took a walk today in the forest with Katja and her broter-in-law. Remscheid is surrounded by forests, valleys and rural areas. Here you can see the city centre of Remscheid in the background, while we were walking through a district in the south of the municipal area. Soon we reached a forest. We walked downhill until we reached the sole of the valley. Of course a creek is running through the valley. You can also find some fish ponds along the creek, they are all frozen now. We had a lot of fun in the snow Our walk took nearly two and a half hour Bye Brownbeard
olgamaus Posted Mar 28, 2013, 8:58 am	Hi Mummy, this week most of the snow melted away. We all hope that spring will come soon! We took a walk to Germany's highest railway bridge, Muengsten Bridge. This railway bridge is connecting Remscheid and the neighbour city Solingen, overspanning the valley of river Wupper. It took us a 40 minutes walk until we could have a first look at the bridge. We followed a hiking trail which is coming close to the bridge, but we intended to cross the river and walk on the other side of the valley. Very obviously we are still having winter I am a pirate of the Carribean sea, not of the Antarctic! But I know what might cheer me up We crossed the river and followed the hiking path, like the river meandering along the steep slope of the valley. Muengsten Bridge was built of steel, completed in 1907. It is about 480 m long and 107 m tall. There are extensive repair works going on in the last few years, and there will be more this year from April till at least October. Some years ago a leisure park was created under the bridge. You can find lawns here for relaxing, a crazy golf course, a restaurant, snack bars, a kiosk and playgrounds for kids. When we get home, we will have to wash our trousers and clean the shoes - the paths in the forest were incredibly muddy Bye Brownbeard
olgamaus Posted May 27, 2013, 10:25 am	Yay!!! Mummy called me home!!! Since I'm knowing I will leave soon I robbed the kitchen and found something delicous with rum ... I hurried into my envelope, taking the delicious stuff with me I am coming home now. Bye Brownbeard

Back