Carina Posted Oct 27, 2011, 1:59 pm |
I'm at home at the moment, but I hope to travel the next time. |
Carina Posted Oct 29, 2011, 10:50 am |
My mum is searching hosts for me. In January I will start my world journey. I'm sooo happyyy. At the moment I am at Europe. But on my tour I will see the world, five continents!!! |
Carina Posted Nov 5, 2011, 1:07 pm |
Today I met an animal my first time. It was Lissy, my mum's cat. |
Carina Posted Dec 9, 2011, 1:21 pm |
I am so excited, because at the end of this month I'll go on my first journey!
|
Carina Posted Dec 31, 2011, 5:42 am |
Yesterday my mum sent me to my first host. It is kassiopaya from Munich. I'm sooooo excited what I will see in the world.
Is there someone who read this travelog, who has a free place? My mum's brother's toy (Robby 105) is searching hosts. But he can't find some of them. You can write to him.His name is >handy< . Here is a photo from the start of my tour. Yeah! |
kassiopaya Posted Jan 3, 2012, 6:19 pm |
Hi mummy,
now I'm at the home of my first host. The envelope was very dark. Then there was a little bit of light and four eyes were looking at me. First I was a little bit afraid. Then I came out of the envelope and met ErikaTheMouse and Baby_Pom_Fimble. They are very nice. I think we will be good friends. Greets from munich Charly |
kassiopaya Posted Jan 10, 2012, 7:14 am |
Today we have to say goodbye to ErikaTheMouse.
She will travel now to the Russian Federation! Have a good time! |
kassiopaya Posted Jan 12, 2012, 10:30 am |
Hi Mummy,
today we were allowed to go to work with our host. We had so much fun with the copier! All the collegues were very amused . Look at that funny pictures: |
kassiopaya Posted Jan 14, 2012, 6:31 pm |
Today we had a big walk through munich.
It was very cold but it was very interesting. First we saw the Bavarian Parliament. Then we went to a bridge over the "Isar", the river in munich. Then we went to the Freedom-Angel. A big golden statue on a big column. That was amazing! On the way we saw the Villa Stuck, a nice building. There is an art museum in it. And we saw the "Käfer"-House. There you can buy all the things from Käfer. But's to expensive! At the end we stood in front of the "Prinzregenten-Theater". There take place many fastivals, concerts and the "Bayerische Filmpreis". |
kassiopaya Posted Jan 17, 2012, 9:11 am |
Hi,
Now I have to say goodbye to the other TVs Greeny delMonte, Mini-Woof and Baby_Pom_Fimble. I'm going to Austria... See you soon! |
cestbon Posted Jan 19, 2012, 8:52 am |
DEAR MUM
I just arrived in Austria (eventually); they have soooooo much snow here it was a shock for me; therefore I need to recover now for a while. My host promised me that we will go to Paris very soon; also I will join her to Vienna, St. Pölten, Melk and Salzburg but today she has to go on an outing with her students which I - unfortunately - can't attend. Anyways I prefer staying indoors today - next to the nice warm cockle stove. Best Charly |
cestbon Posted Jan 21, 2012, 1:24 pm |
Dear Mum
Yesterday was a very exciting day for me! My host had to go to Salzburg to attend a meeting - and I could join her. Unfortunately it was raining all day long; in the evening it started snowing a lot - so our train was 2 hours late; we arrived back home at 3 am!!!! Attached you find some photos of me in St. Pölten; that's the capital city of Lower Austria which is famous for its baroque buildings. Furthermore I visited the famous yellow castle of Melk; can you imagine it is also a school... Salzburg is the native town of Mozart and offers its visitors the view of a big fortress. As you can see I even kissed Mozart . Best Charly |
cestbon Posted Jan 21, 2012, 1:26 pm |
see above |
cestbon Posted Jan 21, 2012, 1:28 pm |
see above |
cestbon Posted Jan 24, 2012, 4:28 pm |
Hello Mum
Today the three of us (Ulani, me and my host) went to Vienna and Baden. We saw the most important monuments in Vienna (Stephansdom, Secession, Karlskirche, city hall, university, opera etc.); afterwards we had to run soooooo fast to catch the train to Baden. I have to admit the afternoon there was quite boring because we did not have to do anything except attending an English seminar... As you might notice we took a picture of us infront of an interactive board; my host likes these boards, which can be found in underground stations, so much. Baden is a city which is very close to Vienna and famous for good wine, a natural spa and the casino. Yours Charly |
cestbon Posted Jan 27, 2012, 4:38 pm |
Dear Mum
You won't believe what happened today! We (Ulani and I) joined my host's mother to the kindergarten cause she works there; we had a lot of fun with the children and my host's mum took beautiful photos. Then she left the children for 2 minutes unattended with the camera and they broke it. Now there aren't any photos left . My host will check if she can transfer the photos from the memory card but she doesn't hold out much hope... Anyway we will make some new photos this weekend! Please don't be sad! Best Charly |
cestbon Posted Jan 29, 2012, 5:08 pm |
Dear mum
Today we went for a walk in Prinzersdorf. It's a small village close to St. Pölten. The river you can see in the photos is called Pielach. Best Charly |
cestbon Posted Feb 2, 2012, 2:29 pm |
Due to the fact that we take the train so often the conductor offered us a special ticket today!!!
I am freezing so much but I think it is also very cold at home! Charly |
cestbon Posted Feb 9, 2012, 10:48 am |
Today we went to Versailles - unfortunately it was forbidden to take photos inside the building but I can assure you the rooms were amazing.
Charly |
cestbon Posted Feb 9, 2012, 11:00 am |
We went to Paris today. Due to bad weather conditions and the fact that my host knows the city already very well we only went to see the most important sights.
Charly |
cestbon Posted Feb 9, 2012, 11:16 am |
Paris 2/2 |
cestbon Posted Feb 9, 2012, 11:21 am |
We went to Eurodisney!!! It was a birthday present for my host! Because it was so cold we did not have to wait infront of the attractions which was great - we went to both parks (also the Universal Film Studios)!
Charly |
cestbon Posted Feb 9, 2012, 11:31 am |
Eurodisney 2/2 |
cestbon Posted Feb 15, 2012, 7:21 pm |
I'm on my way to Finland right now!
Best Charly |
Nonnariina Posted Mar 2, 2012, 1:54 pm |
Hello!
Warm hugs from Finland! I arrived to Nonnariina yesterday. I have had great time, until I miss you! I met anorether toyvoyager, Kuzma! Kuzma is rabbit and very nice Today I get change to do some winter things that people in Finland do. I and Kuzma made a snowman! It was so funny. We also made a snow castle and played hide and seek. In the picture I have just found Kuzma at snow castle. At afternoon Nonnariina made skis to me and Kuzma and we went to ski. It was little bit difficult but funny. Nonnariina had made ski track to yard. It was hard to get up hill… And then lose my ski! Kuzma helped me. And I falled several times. We also slided downhill with skis. We were tired after skiing so we slept little and then we drank warm chocolate. So I have a lot of pictures to share with you! Have a great day! -Charly6- |
Dangerousebeans Posted Apr 16, 2012, 6:51 pm |
Hey, mom!
I've arrived in Russia yesterday - sorry that didn't updates immidiately - my host's family prepared for a feast – it’s Orthodox Easter today! In Russian it is named Paskha. My host isn't too religious, but we visited her grandma and had a lot of fun. It's religious feast at first, so the main action happens on a Saturday night - people put on their best clothes and come together in dark churches that symbolize a gloomy world without the light of faith. In the past, satanic creatures were believed to turn especially evil in the night before Easter. People didn’t dare to go outside after sunset as they feared every cat could be a witch and every dog a devil! So, it’s interesting, that there is not Easter rabbit in Russia! They don't go search eggs; they just change them with their friends and family and kissed 3 times. My host’s grandma don’t paint eggs – she bought special plastic paintings and stick them with boil water. Looks so beautiful! And there is special food on Sunday: Paskha and Culich (Easter - is made from spesial cottage cheese, nuts and raisins Little easter cake - is a bread with a lot of sugar and candied fruit.) Mmmmm, yummy! Should pay more attention - what great embroideries are created by the grandmother! It’s her hobby and all walls of the apartment are covered with such “pictures”! And pillowcases on pillows too were embroidered by her. Super needlework! |
Dangerousebeans Posted Apr 22, 2012, 9:14 pm |
Hi, mom!
This weekend we’ve visited Kremlin! Wow, I think, I should come to Moscow again, because it is such a wonderful place and has such an interesting history! My host thought that I should know everything about it, but of course, now I can remember only a small part. You can see, first we were standing in a small queue near the white Kutafja Tower (from the word “fat clumsy woman”) and had a chance to take photos on the swallows’ tail – they are situated on each access road of Kremlin. And the Troitskaya Tower - the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Its current height on the side of the Alexander Garden together with the star is 80 m. Today, the gate of the tower is the main visitors' entrance into the Kremlin. And the view is so beautiful! Here you can see the Kremlin Senate, a building within the grounds of the Kremlin. Initially constructed from 1776–1787, it originally housed the Moscow branch of the Governing Senate, the highest judiciary and legislative office of Imperial Russia. Currently, it houses the Russian presidential administration and is a highly secured and restricted area closed to the public. At present, only the southern corner façade, opposite the Tsar Cannon can be viewed. Then we saw the most interesting exhibits of this museum – the Tsar-Bell and the Tsar-Cannon. The Tsar-Bell was made of bronze and it is currently the largest bell in the world, weighing 201,924 kilograms, with a height of 6.14 metres and diameter of 6.6 metres, and thickness of up to 61 centimetres. The bell is decorated with relief images of baroque angels, plants, oval medallions with saints, and nearly life-size images of Empress Anna and Tsar Alexey. Unfortunately, before the last ornamentation was completed, a major fire broke out at the Kremlin in May 1737. The fire spread to the temporary wooden support structure for the bell, and fearing damage, guards threw cold water on it, causing eleven cracks, and a huge (11.5 tons) slab to crack off. The broken piece weighs 11,500 kilograms, you can compare it with the crowd around – it’s as tall as a man! Some people believe that on Judgement Day, it will be miraculously repaired and lifted up to heaven, where it will ring the blagovest (call to prayer). The Tsar-Cannon was cast in 1586 in Moscow, by the Russian master bronze caster Andrey Chokhov. Mostly of symbolic impact, it was never fired in war. Per the Guinness Book of Records it is the largest bombard by caliber in the world. The very low ratio between its calibre and the length of its barrel makes it technically not a cannon, but a stylized mortar. The Tsar Cannon weighs 39.312 tones and has a length of 5.34 m. Its bronze-cast barrel has a diameter of 890 mm, and an external diameter of 1,200 mm. The spherical cast-iron projectiles located in front of the cannon - each of which weighs 1.97 tons, were produced in 1834 as a decoration. Then you can see The Ivan the Great Bell Tower - the tallest of the towers in the Moscow Kremlin complex, with a total height of 81 metres. It was built in 1508 for the Russian Orthodox cathedrals in Cathedral Square, which do not have their own belfries, and is said to mark Moscow's precise geographic centre. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower today contains 22. Of these, 18 small bells hang in the base and in the middle of the bell tower. Of the four large bells, one is named the Upsenskij Bell, and weighs 65.5 tons. It rings traditionally among the largest religious festivals such as Easter, and was made in the early 16th century. Next building with great triangle golden roof and domes is The Cathedral of the Annunciation (Blagoveschensky sobor). It was originally the personal chapel for the Muscovite tsars, and its abbot remained a personal confessor of the Russian royal family until the early 20th century. Compared with the other major Kremlin cathedrals, the Annunciation Cathedral has slightly smaller dimensions. It is also built in a more traditional style, as it was created by local architects from Pskov, rather than Italian expatriate architects. The most characteristic feature of the building is its nine golden domes, and roof with rich kokoshnik ornamentation in an ogive form. This beautiful cathedral with frescos is The Cathedral of the Dormition (Uspensky sobor). The Cathedral is regarded as the mother church of Muscovite Russia. In its present form it was 1475-79 at the behest of the Moscow Grand Duke Ivan III by the Italian architect Aristotele Fioravanti. From 1547 to 1896 it is where the Coronation of the Russian monarch was held. In addition, it is the burial place for most of the Moscow Metropolitans and Patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church. However, one of the most important cult images of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Theotokos of Vladimir kept at the Cathedral from 1395-1919 is now at the Tretyakov Gallery. Near the south entrance to the Cathedral is the Monomach Throne of Ivan IV (1551). Verkhospassky Cathedral with eleven small golden domes was constructed by tsar Michael Fedorovichem in 1635-1636. From this temple the ladder conducted to a seigniorial platform where decrees, orders of the tsar were read to boyars, and the tsar presented boyars and near people birthday pies. Divine services in it aren't made. The Cathedral of the Archangel is a Russian Orthodox church dedicated to the Archangel Michael. It was the main necropolis for members of the Tsars of Russia until the relocation of the capital to St. Petersburg. It was constructed between 1505 and 1508 under the supervision of an Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin Noviy on the spot of an older cathedral, built in 1333. The Grand Kremlin Palace was built from 1837 to 1849 on the site of the estate of the Grand Princes, which had been established in the 14th century on Borovitsky Hill. Designed by a team of architects under the management of Konstantin Thon, it was intended to emphasize the greatness of Russian autocracy. The Grand Kremlin Palace was formerly the tsar's Moscow residence. Thon's palace is 125 meters long, 47 meters high, and has a total area of about 25,000 square meters. It includes the earlier Terem Palace, nine churches from the 14th, 16th, and 17th centuries, the Holy Vestibule, and over 700 rooms. Now it carries out a role of smart president residence of Russia. Important nation-wide ceremonials pass in its halls, such as delivery of the state awards or credentials. You can see that big national flag is lowered on the spike. It means that Russian president is out now, but he could come back every minute! |
Dangerousebeans Posted May 1, 2012, 2:59 pm |
Hi, mom! It was cold but sunny today, so I decided to visit one of the busiest squares in Moscow - Komsomolskaya Square (in the honour of the Komsomol - Communist Union of Youth) with gorgeous Stalinist architecture.
Look at beautiful metro (subway) station. You've already prepared for something sublime from here. Do you know, who was the first man meeting us there? There are a few monuments of Lenin in Moscow, most of them were broken with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. I think, it's a really bad idea, because all statues have architectural and historical value and it's a crime to destroy them. Do you agree? It is often referred to informally as Three Stations thanks to three ornate rail termini situated there: Leningradsky Kazansky and Yaroslavsky,. Unfortunately, Yaroslavsky is closed now, so you can’t see it. You know, that this square greets most visitors arriving to Moscow from Saint Petersburg and the whole northwestern Russia (through Moscow-Saint Petersburg Railway), the Volga region, and Siberia (through Trans-Siberian Railway). And there is a small park in the center of this area. The ncie view of stations opens from here, there are small benches and it is possible to take rest, waiting your train Also I visited small group of monuments and fountain that stay on the square, to commemorate the Russian minister of transportation - Pavel Melnikov - who superintended the construction of the first railways in Russia. Opposite to stations there is a hotel - a huge Stalin skyscraper. There are only 7 tese buildings across all Moscow and they are fantastic! But I do not think that all visitors can lodge here - it is very expensive And last but not least my impression was the view of Saint George and the dragon - one of the most celebrated saint in Moscow. He was the patron saint of Yury Dolgoruky, who founded the city of Moscow. The name "Yury" is Russian for "George". And now the Coat of Arms of Moscow depicts a horseman with a spear in his hand slaying a basilisk and is identified with Saint George and the Dragon. Isn't it interesting? |
Dangerousebeans Posted May 8, 2012, 3:07 pm |
Hi, mom!
Today we went to the concert of my host’s favorite Russian folk rock band “Melnitsa” – “Windmill”. It was founded in 1999 by Natalia "Hellawes" O'Shea and Alexey "Chus" Sapkov around the remnants of a local folk band 'Till Eulenspiegel'. The band fuses Russian, Irish and other North European folk influences with guitar pop/rock. Natalia "Hellawes" O'Shea, the lead singer and primary songwriter, is an academic and a specialist in medieval European languages and cultures by day. Her expertise lends the typically complex fantasy-laden lyrics a degree of authenticity. Texts are based on national (Russian, Celtic, Scandinavian, Balkan), and also medieval ballads and legends. Well, photos are not so good, but I have a lot of fun! In the beginning it was necessary to defend huge queue in Arena-Moscow club. Inside there was too many people therefore we appeared far from a scene. But look, what a beautiful light show! We could buy T-shirts and posters with symbolics of group, jewelry in celtic style and many musical instruments. I couldn't make satisfactory photos of me and singer of the group, but it is impossible to ignore, such an authentic look. My host asked me to give references to songs of "Windmill" - I don't know, is it legal? I hope if it is impossible – somebody will send me a message . This group has not official clips, therefore these videos are fans’. This song is called "Werewolf". It is about a soldier who lost his peace. He hears whisper from a door on the street - it urges to leave doubts, to release an internal animal to freedom. Thus, the soldier has a girlfriend who cries and asks him to remain. But most likely, he won't obey. This song is called "Dragon", it tells us about a dragon. Now he is very old and lies, protecting a treasure. Shine of gold reminds him of his darling who died many years ago. And he starts to dream of the country very far away, where still live his majestic relatives, the most beautiful beings of the World! But some heroes feast in a palace and they are going to kill the dragon - till Christmas. |
Dangerousebeans Posted May 17, 2012, 2:04 pm |
Hi, mom!
Today the weather is so fantastic and warm that we decided to go to park. Do you remember that Moscow isn’t just megalopolis but also a green and pretty place? I do now! We chose a park called “Park of Friendship” In the 1957th year in Moscow passed the VI World Festival of Friendship between nations. Planting of trees by participants was an every year tradition of such festivals. In Prague, at the V Festival Avenue of Friendship was open. In Moscow the whole park was decided to open. Now park very well-groomed, avenues are laid out by gravel or asphalt, trees and bushes are beautifully cut, there are playgrounds, cafe. There are endless amount of flowers here. Generally it is tulips, but wild dandelions bring brightness. Also there are a hundred of monuments and sculptures. As it’s the Park of Friendship, all monuments are devoted to one subject. It is a monument to the Indian writer and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore (the sculptor - G.Pal). It was open in 1990 and is adored by skateboarders. The Indian is dressed very modestly and simply. From a low granite pedestal wise and sad old man looks at us. The sculptor skillfully transferred a reflected light of philosophical thought in eyes and the press of long reflections on a face of the writer. Two-figured decorative sculptural groups "Fertility " - two female figures, in difficult spiral movement the holding over the heads basket of fruits. The Kirghiz national hero Manas the Magnanimous, according to the legend, united all Kirghiz many years ago. And now his task - to connect the people of two friendly countries, the Kirghiz Republic and the Russian Federation. In April, 1975, in 30 anniversary commemoration from the date of liberation of Hungary from fascist aggressors armies by Red Army, Budapest Park of Friendship and the monument of the vengero-Soviet friendship was open. In day of solemn opening of the monument citizens of Budapest decided to transfer a copy in gift to Moscow; and exactly in one and a half years, on September 15, 1976, in the Moscow Park of Friendship there was constructed a "twin" of the Hungarian monument. The friendship between Russia and Hungary is displayed in a material choice for a monument also. It is revetted with tiles of pirogranit. This ceramic material, is made only in the Hungarian city “Pech”. As we are walking nearby, it is necessary to visit the river station! The North River Terminal or Rechnoy Vokzal (River Station) is one of two passenger terminals of river transport in Moscow. It is also the main hub for long-range and intercity routes. It was built in 1937. This station is an example of communistic constructions. The stateliness of new communistic religion is emphasized with the sculpture "Waterway" meeting us at the entrance in park. There are no more places in Moscow where are such strong and exciting snow-white girls holding in a hand model of the yacht moreover with a wave. The park near the River station is full of children attractions, but now it’s evening therefore the majority of them are closed. It is "ice hill" - I don't understand, is it really filled in with ice?? Bzzzzzzz, I’m flying round Earth! And again, flowers, flowers, flowers!! I feel spring in the air! The building is costructed in the form of the huge ship. The most characteristic architectural elements of the building — a high spike and a wide central ladder. The spike is topped with a star which in 1935 — 1937 was on the Spassky tower of the Moscow Kremlin. The sickle and a hammer are inlaid with the Ural semi-precious stones. The entrance is decorated with maiolicas representing «Moscow of the future». What a fine view of the dormitory areas of Moscow! If I live nearby, I would walk in this park every day! Huge cruising motor ships constantly depart from the mooring to St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Rostov-on-Don. My host told me that she floated by such motor ship several times - for a week and more - to the different cities of Russia. Ah, I hope, I can travel thus too! We are leaving this fine park. I am lucky that I was in Moscow in the spring and could visit such peace and cozy place. |
Dangerousebeans Posted May 20, 2012, 6:26 pm |
Hi, mom!
Today is my last day in Moscow, so my host suggested me to learn to kook small pies. They are vegetarian and very easy to make. And absolutely delicious! May be, we will kook them home? At first we will take all components - sugar, salt, water, oil, a flour and yeast. Then we take... basin. Yes, in the Soviet Russia food prepare in basins! I'm joking. Simply my host has no big pan, and dough grows very strongly. We mix warm water (but not hot), sugar, yeast and stir, till yeast are dissolved. Then we add oil and salt. We stir and add flour gradually. Knead well. Dough should be very soft, a little stick to hands. We cover "pan" with dough and we put in the refrigerator on all night long. Oh how dough grew! If we don't put a cover - it would get out in the refrigerator. Let's roll balls about Ø 4 cm and display them on the oiled table at distance from each other. We cover them with a pure towel and leave for 15 minutes. We unroll dough on a table with a rolling pin, put in the center a stuffing and form a beautiful pie Let's put in an oven and bake at temperature 190 ºС 15 minutes to golden color. Bon appetit! |
Dangerousebeans Posted May 29, 2012, 10:39 am |
Hi, mom!
Today we visited one of my host’s the most favorite places in Moscow - the Novodevichy Convent! Its name, sometimes translated as the New Maidens' Monastery, was devised to differ from an ancient maidens' convent within the Moscow Kremlin. Unlike other Moscow cloisters, it has remained virtually intact since the 17th century. In 2004, it was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Novodevichy Convent was founded in 1524 by Grand Prince Vasili III in commemoration of the conquest of Smolensk in 1514. It was built as a fortress at a curve of the Moskva River and became an important part of the southern defensive belt of the capital, which had already included a number of other monasteries. The Novodevichy Convent was known to have sheltered many ladies from the Russian royal families and boyar clans, who had been forced to become nuns. The Preobrazhenskiy church is constructed over a northern entrance of the monastery. It is well visible from the neighboring area. We can get a bird's eye view of a monastery at the beginning of excursion. The oldest structure in the convent is the six-pillared five-domed cathedral, dedicated to the icon Our Lady of Smolensk. Extant documents date its construction to 1524–1525; yet its lofty ground floor, magisterial proportions, and projecting central gable are typical of monastery cathedrals built at the behest of Ivan the Terrible. Most scholars agree that the cathedral was rebuilt in the 1550s or 1560s; it was formerly ringed by four smaller chapels, in an arrangement reminiscent of the Annunciation Cathedral in the Kremlin. Its frescos are among the finest in Moscow. The cathedral may be a focal point of the convent, but there are many other churches. Most date from the 1680s, when the convent was thoroughly renovated at the behest of the regent Sophia Alexeyevna (who, ironically, would be incarcerated there later). The blood-red walls and crown-towers, two lofty over-the-gates churches, a refectory, and residential quarters were all designed in the Muscovite Baroque style, supposedly by a certain Peter Potapov. In the old cathedral, a new bowl for holy water and gilded carved iconostasis were installed in 1685. An arresting slender belltower, also commissioned by Sophia, was built in six tiers to a height of 72 metres (236 ft), making it the tallest structure in 18th-century Moscow (after the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in the Kremlin). This light octagonal column seems to unite all major elements of the ensemble into one harmonious whole. Like other Moscow monasteries (notably the Danilov and the Donskoy) the New Maidens' Monastery was coveted by the Russian nobility as a place of burial. The Napoleonic hero Denis Davydov is also buried in the grounds. In 1898, the so-called Novodevichy Cemetery was opened without monastery walls. Anton Chekhov was one of the first notables to be interred at the new necropolis, and Nikolai Gogol was later reburied there too. During the Soviet epoch, it was turned into the most high-profile cemetery in the Soviet Union, with the likes of Peter Kropotkin, Nikita Khrushchev, Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich, Konstantin Stanislavski, Boris Yeltsin, and Mstislav Rostropovich being interred there. Especially I like figures of angels - often it is female graves, the inconsolable spouse gave them a statue Now we left the monastery constructed 500 years ago. At once behind a local pond the modern city begins - skyscrapers are seen on the horizon. Two different worlds incorporate here. Hey! Can you see a duck? Let's take a farewell look at monastery walls - how beautiful it is! Monument "Let pass to ducklings" was established in Moscow, on the square avenue opposite to the Novodevichy Convent in 1991. It is an exact copy of a monument in Boston, in the USA. The sculptural composition was created by the architect, the sculptor and the restorer Nancey Shen. The plot is taken from the old fairy tale written for the American kids by writer Robert Makkloski many years ago. In it it is told about mother duck looking for a convenient and safe place for the family. On the way they meet many people. Someone treats them with a peanut, and policemen block off traffic to help ducklings quietly cross the road. In Moscow the monument appeared as a sign of friendship between the USA and the USSR. It was Barbara Bush a's gift to Raisa Maksimovna Gorbacheva. Now the monument is adored by children - I hardly found second for a good photo! |
Dangerousebeans Posted Jun 2, 2012, 12:02 am |
Hi, mom!
Today we are visiting one of the most famous place in Russia – the Red Square. It separates the Kremlin, the former royal citadel and currently the official residence of the President of Russia, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod. As major streets of Moscow radiate from here in all directions, being promoted to major highways outside the city, Red Square is often considered the central square of Moscow and all of Russia. At first we will pass an entrance. Resurrection Gate is the only existing gate of the Kitai-gorod in Moscow. It connects the north-western end of Red Square with Manege Square and gives its name to nearby Voskresenskaya Square (Resurrection Square). The gate adjoins the ornate building of the Moscow City Hall to the east and the State Historical Museum to the west. The State Historical Museum of Russia is a museum of Russian history, opened in 1872. Its exhibitions range from relics of the prehistoric tribes inhabiting present-day Russia, through priceless artworks acquired by members of the Romanov dynasty. The total number of objects in the museum's collection numbers in the millions. But my host tells me that she doesn’t like its color – pink or red… It cannot be compared with Kremlin. Kazan Cathedral Russian: Казанский собор, also known as the "Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan", is a Russian Orthodox church located on the northeast corner of Red Square. The current building is a reconstruction of the original church, which was destroyed at the direction of then General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, in 1936. It is well known and extremely disputable place - Lenin's Mausoleum also known as Lenin's Tomb. It is the mausoleum that serves as the current resting place of Vladimir Lenin. His embalmed body has been on public display there since shortly after his death in 1924 (with rare exceptions in wartime). Aleksey Shchusev's diminutive but monumental granite structure incorporates some elements from ancient mausoleums, such as the Step Pyramid and the Tomb of Cyrus the Great. The Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat also known as Saint Basil's Cathedral, is a Russian Orthodox church erected on Red Square in Moscow in 1555–61 on orders from Ivan the Terrible. It commemorates the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan. St. Basil's marks the geometric center of Moscow. It has been the hub of the city's growth since the 14th century and was the city's tallest building until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in 1600. There is a well-known statue, it commemorates Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin, who gathered an all-Russian volunteer army and expelled the forces of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from Moscow, thus putting an end to the Time of Troubles in 1612. The Spasskaya Tower is the main tower with a through-passage on the eastern wall of the Moscow Kremlin, which overlooks the Red Square. The Spasskaya Tower was built in 1491. The tower's modern name comes from the icon of Spas Nerukotvorny (The Saviour Not Made by Hands), which was placed above the gates on the inside wall in 1658 (it was removed in 1917) and the wall-painted icon of Spas Smolensky (Smolensky Saviour), which was created in the 16th century on the outside wall of tower (plastered over in 1937, reopened and restored in 2010). The Spasskaya Tower was the first one to be crowned with the hipped roof in 1624–1625. According to a number of historical accounts, the clock on the Spasskaya Tower appeared between 1491 and 1585. It is usually referred to as the Kremlin clock Near Kremlin there is "Zoo" of fairy-tale creatures. You can see "Princess-swan". Its' fairy-tales that every child in Russia knows - their famous poet Pushkin recreated it in poetry and made so excellent and funny! 2rd sculpture’s name is "Ivan-prince and frog-princess". It's a funny story about one king, who wanted 3 his sons to marry. They took a bow and arrows and each made 1 shot. 2 first arrows went into houses of princesses. But the 3rd son's arrow flow far far away and fall into a bog and a frog found it. So, he has to marry her (it was a rule of his father). But of course, it was a bewitched princess, and after some adventures they were happy This beautiful fountain is main in sculpture complex on Manezhnaya Square. The group of a fountain includes sculptural composition "Four seasons" Z.Tseretelli where each horse symbolizes spring, summer, autumn and winter. Now, unfortunately, the fountain is closed, but, I hope, I will see, how it works! |
Dangerousebeans Posted Jun 10, 2012, 8:27 pm |
Hi, mom! My host promised that she’ll show me something surprising this weekend! She told me that Moscow is well-known as an “old” city with ancient buildings such as the Kremlin or The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Meanwhile, there is one of the most modern and futuristic buildings in the World - Moscow International Business Center – it’s is a commercial district of central Moscow and combine business activity, living space and entertainment in one single development. An estimated 250,000 – 300,000 people will be working, living, or visiting the complex at any given time, when it is finished.
Now it contains 7 towers with such names as Mercury Tower or Federation Tower and many smaller buildings with Expocenter and Terminal. The height of towers is simply unimaginable, it exceeds 300 meters for some of them. You can see the Bagration pedestrian bridge that connect two part of this quarter. What a fantastic view! |
Dangerousebeans Posted Jun 17, 2012, 2:50 pm |
Hi, mom!
Today we decided to visit the well-known and beautiful churches of Moscow to familiarize with its architecture better. They are absolutely different - big, small, grandiose, modest, multi-colored, bright. It was unforgettable walk! My host is the big fan of the Moscow churches; she considers that they give pleasure and piece to those who admires them. Unfortunately, in orthodox churches it is impossible to photograph inside therefore we will be limited to appearance. The first church which we met on our way - the temple of an icon of the Theotokos «Joy of all who Sorrow». This icon is widely known as wonder-creating since 1688. This year it cured for the first time a sister of the Moscow patriarch - Efimiya Papina. This girl had had a serious illness for more than a year and already prepared for death. She constantly prayed to the Theotokos for healing. And once Mary came to the girl in a dream and ordered to bring in the house the icon which has recently appeared in the temple nearby. After the icon was established in the house, Efimiya was wonderfully recovered. The Resurrection Church in Kadashi Sloboda is a major Naryshkin Baroque church in Moscow, formerly the tallest building in Zamoskvorechye, which may still be seen from Red Square. A wooden church on this site was documented as early as 1493. The elongated five-domed church with an elegantly "laced" belfry was constructed between 1687 and 1695. Napoleon's soldiers desecrated the church, turning it into stables. In the 19th century, the icon screen was restored, the galleries and apses were expanded, and several outsize domed porches were added. The church was closed by the Soviets in 1934 and was adapted for accommodation of a KGB archive. It was not returned to the Russian Orthodox Church until December 2006. There was much media focus on the Kadashi Church in 2010 when Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov ordered the demolition of several old buildings near the church, including a deacon's house from 1813, in order to replace them with an elite apartment complex. The decision was viewed as Luzhkov's latest attack on Moscow's architectural heritage in the interests of building companies and sparked a resistance campaign labelled the "battle of Kadashi" by the Russian media. Especially I like this photo - the set of posters around cries - "Go away from church in Kadashi!", and here it is simply shown, that Moscow was so beautiful town before, without skyscrapers. And what a considerable influence churches had – if you lifted your head you always saw a spike with a cross! The following church which we visited has Saint Clement’s name. Clement (d. c.100) was pope and martyr. Bishop of Rome after Peter, Linus, and Cletus, Clement is known today mainly for his Epistle to the Corinthians. Clement was exiled to the Crimea for the skill and extent of his apostolic activities in Rome. While in exile he was compelled to work in the mines, he opened a miraculous supply of water, he preached with such effect that again he made innumerable converts so that there was need for seventy-five churches. He was killed by being thrown into the sea with an anchor round his neck: angels were said to have made him a tomb on the sea-bed, which was uncovered once a year by an exceptionally low tide. Seven centuries later, the missionary brothers Cyril and Methodius, who were apostles of the Slav countries, ‘miraculously recovered’, they claimed, the body of Clement, piece by piece, together with the anchor. These relics were translated to Rome and buried in the fine church of San Clemente. And the last church I will discribe to you today - Saint Nikolay's Church. It is one of the most esteemed in Russia sacred man and he has many interesting and instructive stories about his life. One legend tells how a terrible famine struck the island and a malicious butcher lured three little children into his house, where he slaughtered and butchered them, placing their remains in a barrel to cure, planning to sell them off as ham. Saint Nicholas, visiting the region to care for the hungry, not only saw through the butcher's horrific crime but also resurrected the three boys from the barrel by his prayers. In his most famous exploit, a poor man had three daughters but could not afford a proper dowry for them. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence of any other possible employment, would have to become prostitutes. Hearing of the poor man's plight, Nicholas decided to help him, but being too modest to help the man in public (or to save the man the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to his house under the cover of night and threw three purses (one for each daughter) filled with gold coins through the window opening into the man's house. The third time the father lies in wait, trying to discover the identity of their benefactor. The father confronts the saint, only to have Saint Nicholas say it is not him he should thank, but God alone. About other beautiful churches I'll tell you next time! |
Dangerousebeans Posted Jul 1, 2012, 11:11 pm |
Hi, mom! Let me continue my story about wonderful Moscow churches.
At first this unusual Marfo-Mariinsky Convent. It was founded in 1908 by Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna (sister of Alexandra Feodorovna, the last Empress of Russia—both of whom are counted among the Russian New Martyrs) to assist sick, wounded, and maimed soldiers in their recovery, and to provide for the needs of the poor and orphans. Grand Duchess Elizabeth (you can see her statue) was the widow of Grand Duke Sergeii Alexandrovich, who had been assassinated by terrorists in 1905. After her husband's death, she gave away her magnificent collection of jewels, including her wedding ring, and sold her other possessions. With the proceeds, she opened the Convent of Ss Martha and Mary and became its abbess. Her vision was to begin a religious community, made up of women from all social strata, that would merge the ideals of saints Martha and Mary, dedicated both to prayer and to serving the needs of the poor. She purchased a tract of land in Moscow and constructed a hospital, an orphanage for girls, and quarters for the nuns. Working in conjunction with church authorities she developed the monastic rule and habit—which differed somewhat from the traditional habit of Orthodox nuns—that would be used at the convent. At its peak, the convent housed 97 sisters and served 300 meals daily to the poor. Next church is known by its famous icon - the Panagia Portaitissa or the Iveron Theotokos. The original of this image is found in the Georgian Iviron monastery on Mount Athos in Greece, where it is believed to have been since the year 999. A unique characteristic of this icon is what appears to be a scar on the Virgin Mary's right cheek or her chin. A number of different traditions exist to explain this, but the one most commonly held by Orthodox Christians is that the icon was stabbed by a soldier in Nicaea during the period of Byzantine iconoclasm under the Emperor Theophilus (829–842). According to tradition, when the icon was stabbed, blood miraculously flowed out of the wound. According to the Orthodox Church's Sacred Tradition, the icon was at one time in the possession of a widow in Nicea. Not wanting the icon to be seized and destroyed by the iconoclasts, she spent all night in prayer and then cast the icon into the Mediterranean Sea. The widow's son later went to Mount Athos, where he became a monk and recounted the miracle of the bleeding wound, and how the icon had been placed in the sea. Much later, (ca. 1004) the icon was recovered from the sea by a Georgian monk named Gabriel (later canonized a saint in the Orthodox Church), who was laboring at the Iveron Monastery on Mount Athos. This occurred on Tuesday of Bright Week (Easter Week), and is commemorated annually on that day (as well as the fixed date of March 31). The icon was taken to the katholikon (main church) of the monastery from which the icon gets its name. The tradition goes on to say that the following day, when the monks entered the church they could not find the icon. After searching they discovered the icon hanging on the gates of the monastery. This occurrence was repeated several times, until St. Gabriel reported that he had seen a vision of the Theotokos, wherein she revealed that she did not want her icon to be guarded by the monks, but rather she intended to be their Protectress. After this, the icon was permanently installed above the monastery gates, where it remains to this day. Because of this, the icon came to be called Portaitissa or "Gate-Keeper". This title was not new for the Virgin Mary, but comes from a verse of the Akathist to the Mother of God: "Rejoice, O Blessed Gate-Keeper who opens the gates of Paradise to the righteous." Orthodox monks and nuns throughout the world will often place an icon of the Theotokos Iverskaya on the monastery gates. And the last church has name is a Holy Trinity Church. It was built, probably, in the 1630th in connection with settling of the southern suburbs of the city by the Streltsy covering the defensive line of the shaft. The first documentary certificate on new church is dated 1642; Last name "Veshnyaka" or "Vishnyaka" is also connected with streletsky commander Matvei Vishnyakov. The first stone temple was built in memory of Fight under Chigirin. The belltower was taken out to the red line of Pyatnitskaya Street which was considerably more narrow, than today. In 1804 consecutive replacement of constructions of the old temple began. During a fire of 1812 the temple burned and was restored roughly in 1815, completely — to 1824. In 1826 Pyatnitskaya Street was expanded, and the old belltower disturbing to journey, took down. The church at the time when Zamoskvorechye was wooden, was the largest town-planning vertical of the Pyatnitsky part. The church was closed not earlier than 1929, and again opened in 1994 at Sacred Tikhonovskiy orthodox institute. |
Dangerousebeans Posted Jul 5, 2012, 10:12 pm |
Hi, mom! As it’s my last day in Russia, my host advised me to see something special!
Today we decided to visit one of the most well-known church of Russia - Cathedral of Christ the Saviour! With an overall height of 105 metres (344 ft), it is the tallest Orthodox church in the world. When Napoleon Bonaparte retreated from Moscow, Emperor Alexander I signed a manifest, 25 December 1812, declaring his intention to build a cathedral in honor of Christ the Saviour "to signify Our gratitude to Divine Providence for saving Russia from the doom that overshadowed Her" and as a memorial to the sacrifices of the Russian people. The cathedral took many years to build and did not emerge from its scaffolding until 1860. The painting were overseen by Evgraf Sorokin and thereafter some of the best Russian painters continued to embellish the interior for another twenty years. The cathedral was consecrated on the very day Alexander III was crowned, 26 May 1883. After the Revolution and, more specifically, the death of Lenin, the prominent site of the cathedral was chosen by the Soviets as the site for a monument to socialism known as the Palace of the Soviets. This monument was to rise in modernistic, buttressed tiers to support a gigantic statue of Lenin perched on top of a dome with his arm raised in the air. On December 5th 1931, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was dynamited and reduced to rubble. It took more than a year to clear the debris from the site. Some of the marble from the walls and marble benches from the cathedral were used in nearby Moscow Metro stations. For a long time, these were the only reminders of the largest Orthodox church ever built. The construction of the Palace of Soviets was interrupted owing to a lack of funds, problems with flooding from the nearby Moskva River, and the outbreak of war. The flooded foundation hole remained on the site until, under Charly6 Khrushchev, it was transformed into the world's largest open air swimming pool, named Moskva Pool. Finally, in February 1990, the Russian Orthodox Church received permission from the Soviet Government to rebuild the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The restorer Aleksey Denisov was called upon to design a replica of extraordinary accuracy. A construction fund was initiated in 1992 and funds began to pour in from ordinary citizens in the autumn of 1994. In this year the pool was demolished and the cathedral reconstruction commenced. About one million Muscovites donated money for the project. The monument is located in the city center therefore you can enjoy such beautiful views of the old, not reconstructed quarters of Moscow around! Especially I like this bridge - very popular place for wedding ceremonies and simply walks. On the right you can see one of the chocolate factories oldest in Moscow, and also Peter the Great notorious statue on a ship. So many people consider that it is ugly, but it can't be demolished. The designer Zurab Tsereteli is known as a friend and favorite of Moscow's former Mayor, Yury Luzhkov, and the artist has received many municipal art commissions in recent years, such as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The Peter the Great Statue in Moscow was designed by the Georgian designer Zurab Tsereteli to commemorate 300 years of the Russian Navy, which was started by Peter I of Russia. At 94 metres, it is the eighth tallest statue in the world. And at the left - a view which is often printed on postcards - the Kremlin ashore. Do I need to say anything else? Fantastic! And the monument to emperor Alexander II the Liberator of Russia from a serfdom, in fact, from slavery, is located near the temple. Alexander is represented in a military uniform and with an imperial cloak. The five-meter bronze figure is placed on a stone pedestal with a graceful colonnade. Behind the back of the emperor two bronze lions sit. They, as a plan of author Alexander Rukavishnikov, symbolize old traditional Russia. |
Evelyn Wu Posted Dec 8, 2012, 3:20 pm |
Hi Mummy,
I have arrived in Shanghai safe and sound. My host is to graduate from the university. Today, she took me to her graduation ceremony. Mom, there is one thing that you should know that the Chinese professor is really good at lecturing. I almost fell to sleep. Check this out, I am wearing the mortar board. Do I look good? |
Evelyn Wu Posted Dec 8, 2012, 3:22 pm |
Hi Mummy,
I have arrived in Shanghai safe and sound. My host is to graduate from the university. Today, she took me to her graduation ceremony. Mom, there is one thing that you should know that the Chinese professor is really good at lecturing. I almost fell to sleep. Check this out, I am wearing the mortar board. Do I look good? |
fleursmum Posted Apr 16, 2013, 7:24 am |
Hey Mum!!!!
I have arrived!!!! I am good, a bit tired from travelling from China but good had a quick look outside, is a colder day today here I am told I met Tupai the chowchow and Cyril - meeting the others later.... Off for a sleep now Love and hugs Charly6 xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Apr 21, 2013, 5:04 am |
Hi Mum,
Today some cooking was happening in the kitchen so I had a peek Mmmm.. we have grated cheese, creamed corn, egg and pepper mixed together crusts being cut off bread, then buttering is done on one side, then put in to muffin pans, and baked in the oven Savoury bread cases too go to work tomorrow for morning tea. Love and hugs Charly6 xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Apr 21, 2013, 5:08 am |
Hey Mum,
Today we went in to the city for Sue to go to the quilt fair we are heading for the Exhibition Buildings - you can see part of the building in the distance nearly there here I am inside - busy day today here Interesting ceiling in here! we passed this house on the way back to the car. Love and hugs Charly6 xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Apr 30, 2013, 1:20 am |
Hi Mum,
Here I am in Elizabeth Street - you can see Flinders Street train station behind me! a little closer!! St Paul's Cathedral and a tram going past today is Anzac Day - a day when Australians and New Zealander's remember the men and women who went to war for us and in the afternoon there is a big football match between Essendon and Collingwood. People come in to the city and watch the game on the big screen in Federation Square lucky it is a fine day!! here I am by the Yarra River - behind me is the Melbourne Cricket Ground where the football match is being played today Mr Shaun is helping to show me around today so is Suomi-boy and Elmar Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted May 12, 2013, 6:07 am |
Hi Mum,
Today we drove up the road to Macedon to look at the autumn leaves we are a bit late as most of the colour has gone playing in the leaves!! driving home here is the street my host lives in Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted May 12, 2013, 6:08 am |
Nice sunrise this morning!!
Hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted May 12, 2013, 6:43 am |
Hi Mum,
We went to the market this morning for meat, fruit and veges an interesting sculpture I checked out the boomerangs Lunch break!! More Aboriginal goodies Later we found a Christmas shop and later in the afternoon, we went on a chocolate tour in the city, this is the window of the Haigh's chocolate shop another arcade with another chocolate shop and this is the Royal Arcade and yes another chocolate shop is just ahead!! Mmmmmmmm....now what to have???? Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted May 12, 2013, 6:52 am |
Quiet day at home today - was sunny and nice to be outside
Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted May 16, 2013, 6:28 am |
Hi Mum,
Today we have been to play golf and boy we had some strange weather!! It was sunny when we got there, then it hailed, then rained, then the sun came out and then it all started again!! check out the hail stones!! Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted May 28, 2013, 7:46 am |
Hi Mum,
Today I am going for a walk on the beach! Mr Shaun and I looking at the view now Elmar has joined us!! and now Suomi-boy!! Just hanging around on the beach! very calm day today - no wind. On the way home we found a shell the perfect size for me!! What do you think Mum?? Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted May 28, 2013, 7:47 am |
Back to the beach again this morning before we head home again.
Tupai is going in for a swim!! Too cold for me!! Nice day here today. the pelicans have arrived! The pelicans are off to see if the people who have been fishing have food for them! In the back yard now in the bougainvillea and in the gum tree!! Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Jun 13, 2013, 6:27 am |
Hey Mum,
Today we said goodbye to Elmar - he is off travelling once again Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Jun 13, 2013, 6:35 am |
Hey Mum,
Some photos from the city down by the Yarra River looking over to South Bank the round building over the river is the Arts Centre we found some grafitti Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Jun 13, 2013, 6:41 am |
Hi Mum,
Today we have gone to scrapping class and down the road is a little park with some wooden sculptures back to the photos now Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Jun 13, 2013, 7:38 am |
Hey Mum,
Today we have gone to Ballan for a sewing day and we went with Pumpkin the orang-utan and met Peg and Dale who live in New South Wales, they were here for a visit too. we got to share some chocolate too!! Yum!! Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Jun 13, 2013, 7:43 am |
Hey it is a frosty morning this morning Mum!!
our summer swimming pool has frozen on the top!! cold this morning!! Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Jun 13, 2013, 7:45 am |
Back at the beach for the weekend!! Is late afternoon and we are taking the dog for a walk. Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Jun 13, 2013, 7:49 am |
Hi Mum,
Today we are walking to the supermarket and we have found some unusual toadstools in the camping ground oops!! I fell over!! Here I am in the fairy circle but I didn't see any fairies! More interesting growing things!! Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Jun 13, 2013, 7:51 am |
Hi Mum,
Walking along the beach again today On the bluff before we head down to the beach it is windy so there are a few waves today More growing things Mum!! Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Jun 13, 2013, 8:00 am |
Hi Mum,
This afternoon we drove around to Port Arlington after our walk to get some mussels for Sue's friend - she likes to eat them!! The weather was getting bad when we got there so we didn't see much this sailing boat was at the wharf, but the sea was rough and Sue wouldn't go on it!! (She gets sea sick really easily!!) so we had a photo, got the mussels and came home! Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Jun 13, 2013, 8:02 am |
Hi Mum,
My final walk on the beach, we head home this afternoon the weather isn't so good today Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
fleursmum Posted Jun 13, 2013, 8:11 am |
Hi Mum,
Well today I said goodbye to Mr Shaun and Suomi-boy got my things together but before I go there is a special package that arrived in the mail we had a look inside and found Fabler Bjorn He is here for a holiday in Australia! Now I am off to sunny Spain!! Ole!! See you soon Love and hugs Charly xxooxx |
JunCTionS Posted Jun 30, 2013, 10:15 pm |
Hi mum,
It was a very long trip, luckily I had some very good chocolate for the trip. When everything stopped moving I heard many animal noises: a bird, a monkey a bear and a mouse!: They are all ToyVoyagers, Graham, Alberto, Sir James and Elliot and they are very nice. But they mentioned I should go out and see Granada as soon as possible. So here I am, out in the street: This fountain is called the Fuente de las Batallas and behind it is the Isabel la Católica theater (you can see her statue on top of the building) It was nice and refreshing to stand near the fountain. This is the Mariana Pineda square, she was a famous activist from the XIX century. And in that square there's a very famous and old coffee shop, Café Fútbol, where they sell churros Anyways, after that quick snack we kept on walking in the city center This is the main post office. Look a local police car: This is the City Hall: From close up: It is located in the Plaza del Carmen, look at the pretty street signs they use in Granada: On top of the street name there is a picture of a pomegranate. This is the Navas street which is a famous place to go and have Tapas: Tapas are small portions of food that come included with each drink you buy. They are very good! Here I am in the Bib-Rambla square, the tower in the background is the Cathedral's church tower. This is the front of the Cathedral: It is very large!. Nearby there are many small streets filled with typical arab stores: And this is the city's main street, the Gran Vía, as you can see it was very busy with pedestrians: At one end of it there is a statue of Columbus asking the queen for money, as it was just outside of Granada where Columbus got the money for the expedition that lead to the discovery of the American continent, while the kings were trying to reconquer this city. This is the Corral del Carbón and it is the oldest monument still left in the city, it was built in the XIV century. And this is the building's interior: There are many examples of antique architecture throughout the city: It was a nice walk out today, Cheers, Charly |
JunCTionS Posted Jul 1, 2013, 9:55 pm |
Hi mum,
Guess what? I'm on the road: Or should I say on the air? Here I am in the Málaga airport: Any ideas were I'm headed off to? Love, Charly |
JunCTionS Posted Jul 10, 2013, 4:27 am |
Hi mum!
If you guessed that I was going to an archipielago in the coast of Africa, you were right! Here I am leaving the Tenerife Norte airport: And here I am with my friends getting ready to get into a salt-water pool: The views in the island are amazing! And the sea is cristal clear. Love, Charly P.S.: So with Europe, Asia, Australia and now Africa, I only have two more continents for my life mission! |
JunCTionS Posted Jul 13, 2013, 6:08 pm |
Hello mum,
Check out how cute I look with my good friends: We went out on a night to the city center, here we are at 100 montaditos pub: It's a very nice franchise here in Spain were you can eat a large variety of small sandwiches for very little money. And here's a pretty colonial style church: We walked by the port: I don't know why, but being around Graham makes me a bit hungry: Anyways, here I am waiting for the tram: I was a bit tired on the way back home: Love, Charly |
JunCTionS Posted Jul 20, 2013, 1:30 pm |
Hello mum,
Today we went to a very nice salt water pool called Parque Maritimo, it was very relaxing: The park is very large and beautiful and was designed by an architect called Cesar Manrique. A lot of people were having fun and enjoying the water and Sun. And from the park you could see a beautiful theater designed by famous Spanish architect Calatrava. Also an small black castle and the beautiful crystal clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean. We had a very fun day at the pool. Love, Charly |
JunCTionS Posted Jul 24, 2013, 8:11 pm |
Hello mum,
Here I am back in the Tenerife North airport... and about to get into this airplane you see behind me: Those are the airplanes of the local airline called Binter, and it took us to La Palma! We wanted to go very early in the morning to see the sunrise from the highest peak in the Island which is called Roque de los Muchachos: Like all the peaks in the Canary Islands, they're dorman volcanoes, here you can see the crater during sunrise: This mountain is home to many of the best telescopes in the World!, look how beautiful they look above the clouds during the sunrise: And the air was so clear that you could see the shadow of the mountain on the clouds! It was amazing how perfectly triangular the shape was. After the sunrise we went to see some of the telescopes close up. Here on the far right is the biggest optical telescope in the World!, the GTC: And these big mirrors out in the open are called the MAGIC telescopes, they look for very high energy astronomical events: Being above the clouds was very nice, and everything was very quiet. Simply amazing. On the way down we stopped several times to see the island, it was very beautiful. Here's a view of the main city, the port and on the background the airport. What an amazing day this was! Love, Charly |
JunCTionS Posted Jul 31, 2013, 1:11 am |
Hello mom,
Today we went to another pool park, this one called Lago Martianez. It is also a very large salt water pool designed by Cesar Manrique that uses volcanic rocks. It's very nice to relax here in Tenerife with so many pools and beaches. The park had many sculptures including these dried up tree trunks. Love, Charly |
JunCTionS Posted Jul 31, 2013, 2:02 am |
Today we went to the Nature and Man museum in Santa Cruz where they had a beach themed cafeteria indoors:
There was a room with drawers for many insects and specially butterflies from around the world, look at the beautiful wings they have: When we left we took a picture in front of the Concepcion Parish: Love, Charly |
JunCTionS Posted Jul 31, 2013, 10:54 pm |
Today we went to the Teresitas beach:
It's a beautiful beach with white soft sand brought from the Sahara desert: The water was crystal clear and very refreshing. And the scenery of the mountains and small boats was beautiful. Love, Charly |
JunCTionS Posted Aug 1, 2013, 2:51 am |
Today we went around the whole island!
To start we went to the Roque de Garachico: It is a small island that is a bird sanctuary were several protected species live and some migratory birds also stop by. Then we went to the Punta Teno lighthouse, which is the westernmost point in the island. To the left you can faintly see the Gomera island. The water sea here in Tenerife is beautiful: Afterwards we drove through the mountains and arrived to a small town called Santiago del Teide: Apparently they had their local festivities during these days which are related to the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage. Then we went to the Costa Adeje where there are many large beaches and resorts: It was very touristy. Finally we stopped by the Cathedral of La Candelaria: Where there are very large statues of the 9 Menceyes (or kings) that ruled the islands by the time the Spaniards invaded them. We had a very fun day today and saw many places around the island. Love, Charly |
JunCTionS Posted Aug 11, 2013, 3:52 pm |
Today we made way to the highest mountain in Spain: The Teide volcano!.
Here we are with the Teide on the background as well as the La Palma island: After going through a dense pine forest we came into a desert that looked very much like the surface of Mars! In fact they use this area to test robots that NASA and ESA will send to the Red Planet!. We stopped for a drink, it is very important to drink a lot of fluids here in the desert, and the view was like that of an American cowboys movie. Look at the weird structures the rocks make here: Love, Charly |
JunCTionS Posted Aug 29, 2013, 12:00 am |
Today we got to ride in a submarine, and it was a yellow submarine!:
It was amazing and we got a big window all to ourselves. Here we are just below the sea level waiting to go down Here I am at 30 meters below sea level: We saw many fishes of many different types, even several stingrays. They also explained to us that the red light from sunlight does not reach so far down, so that's why everything looked so blue and I look so dark. It was absolutely amazing! Cheers, Charly |
JunCTionS Posted Sep 12, 2013, 4:53 pm |
Today we went to a volcanic beach were you can see a big cliff drop called Los Gigantes:
The indigenous people used to call these cliffs the Wall of Hell. |
JunCTionS Posted Sep 16, 2013, 12:00 pm |
Today we went to Loro Parque, which is a famous Zoo in Tenerife,
there we got to see many animals, and it was so large we barely had any time to stop and take photos. There were many parrots throughout the park since they have the largest sanctuary of these birds in the World. There I saw a show with 7 Orca whales: And another with sea lions: It was a very fun day! |
JunCTionS Posted Nov 2, 2013, 10:34 pm |
So here I am, back in Granada. I enjoyed the view, but not for long as I miss my home very much.
So I must bid my friends farewell Get into my means of transportation And head to the post office I'll love telling you about my travels in person. Cheers, Charly |
Carina Posted Apr 23, 2014, 11:48 am |
I arrived save at home.
Thanks to all the hosts who made my journey so wonderful!!! I will take a break, but I hope to travel once again. Your Charly |