Travelog for: Siti Semut

And THE SNOW!!! Another mission accomplished!!

Hello!

I'm having my last day today in Austria, which is really sad. Tomorrow the family will leave for their skiing holiday in the Alps and since I've ever wanted to go on really high mountains I asked if I can join them.

So we are packing our luggage today and I have to say "Good bye" to all my mates here. I had a great time in Vienna, I saw alot here and I really liked the place where I stayed.

But I'm also looking forward to my next host, Krisztina in Hungary. I'll start my journey there on Monday or Tuesday!

Christina, my current host will send the photos from the Alps after March 1st when she returns home from the holidays. Maybe I can already watch them in Budapest...

Greetings and hugs, Siti

Hi!
I'm Kriszti from Budapest, Hungary, Siti's next host! I really can't wait to welcome her. Have a good journey, Siti 

Hello!

Here are the last news from Siti's stay in Austria. She is on the way to Hungary now and I guess she'll arrive there soon, so I promised her to update this travellog meanwhile.

Since Siti was very talented when we went ice-skating with her we thought she'd also have fun learning how to ski, so we took her on our skiing holiday with us. We went to Zell am See, situated in the center of the Alps where she could see Austria's highest mountains.

We went up one of the mountains more than 2000 m by cable car (Siti was a bit scared at the beginning but then she loved the beautiful view) and there she tried to ski. As we thought - she was very good at it and we all had great fun. It was amazing to see all these really high mountains (those in the background were more than 3000 m high!)

Unfortunately we weren't so lucky with the weather there, only a few nice days then it was raining a lot. So we went to Salzburg to do a bit of sightseeing there. We showed her the old town with the beautiful castle on the hill and of course she met many big and small "Mozarts" made of all kinds of materials: stuffed ones, chocolate Mozarts, Mozarts on plates and cups etc. Siti visited also Mozart's birthplace and of course listened to his music. And we also saw this tower called "Glockenspiel" where they have tons of bells inside and play a kind of music at every full hour. Lovely all these horses there - they wore a raincoat!!! By the way, the old town of Salzburg is an UNESCO site, too, so she  only missed 3 UNESCO sites in Austria, all the others she visited!!

Well, these were the last places Siti visited in Austria. I hope to see many, many other pictures of her from different places in the world here in her blog soon. Have a great journey, dear Siti - and thanks for the funny time we had together with you!

Greetings, Christina & family

Alps



Cable Car


Castle



Mozart


Fiaker

Hi Everyone!
I'm happy to say... I arrived today to Budapest, the Queen of the Danube and the Paris of the East!!! I can't imagine what could happen to my envelope, because when Kriszti got me, it was a little bit damaged and put into a plastic bag  But I have everything with me, so I'm a very lucky girl!
The weather is awful, it's been raining all day long, kinda depressing... But spring is coming, and Kriszti promised me to visit Lake Balaton next week! Of course, not to mention Budapest, which I'm thrilled to see!
I'm looking forward to write more, and I'll post pictures as well!

Hi! This is Siti.
I'm still here at Kriszti's. In the latest days Kriszti has been very busy with her tests at school, so that's why you haven't seen an update with the pictures taken in Balatonföldvár, by the lake Balaton in Hungary. Which, if everything goes well, will be uploaded at the weekend, so stand-by!
I miss you Aliah, MacLady (AmoreCards) and ChristinaB!

Kriszti also promised me to show me Budapest next week. Woohoo!  I'll be ready to travel to England after Easter

Hugs,
Siti

Hi Everyone! This is Siti.
I have been wanting to post here for a long time - so now, here is a post about how I'm enjoying my stay in Hungary.
About two weeks ago Kriszti brought me to Balatonföldvár. They have a summer house there - it's really nice. Before we went for this trip Kriszti got a kokárda for me - it's very Hungarian, they wear it every 15th March, kinda red-white-green ribbon
At first she brought me to see the Lake Balaton, the biggest freshwater lake in Central Europe.
We met a strange statue when walking by the shore - he was carrying a fish in his hand. We quickly became friends. Kriszti also made a photo of us!

Then I got to see the lake which is amazing to see, especially in the spring and in autumn, when there aren't so many tourists swimming in it.

Then I noticed the clouds were so lovely...

After this, we climbed a little hill there which had a nice panorama on the lake.

There was a little forest too where the violets had just started blooming - aren't they nice? I just love these beautiful flowers

Next day we went to the shore again (but about 1.5 kilometres far from the original place. Actually, it was an abandoned beach where we could go by finding a gap in the fence We met a few swans as well. Woohoo! 

This week (on Tuesday, to be accurate), Kriszti showed me around the nicest area in Budapest.
We saw the Parliament on the Kossuth Square:

Statue of Attila József, a great Hungarian poet, also on Kossuth Square. He faces the River Danube, as he wrote in his famous poem "By the Danube"

View of the Danube - the Castle Hill (oooh - now I see we can't see much of the river because of this huge ship... but the view of the hill is amazing, isn't it?):

Hungarian Academy of Science:

Another view of the Danube with Budapest's most famous bridge (Lánchíd=Chain Bridge) and the Castle of Buda:

When we were travelling back to Kriszti's place we passed by the Danube and saw many bridges and hills - the "Buda" side of the city is full of hills. "Pest" is flat like a pancake. How funny is that.
This is the Gellért Hill:


These are the places we've visited so far. I'm having a very good time here and I'm sure we can see another interesting sights here in Budapest. And, on the week after Easter I'll be ready to travel to England.
Hugs,
Siti 

Well arrived today, and never guess what, so did C.K from australia, same day, same bundle.. two envelopes tied up with elastic bands... very tight ones too.  We are resting at the moment.  We will joined any day now with Taro from Japan being posted from Petra in Germany.  It will be like the 3 muskateers...  one for one and one for all... well something like that.  Cannot wait to start...  all men together and all that...

       

6th May 2007 - Lulworth Cove Dorset, UK

Well had lots to do.  We went to Durdle Dor and Lulworth Cover, My host couldnt walk down big cliff because bad knee but husband took us but he was too shy to take pictures because people were watching him!!! MEN!! 

Both were beautiful, White Cliffs, like Dover but this is natural as they have to paint White Cliffs of Dover now.  And wait for this, so exciting we went on a speedboat, it was wicked... so fast it was WONDERFUL.....  saw another side to Durdle Dor, and Lulworth cove... all the boys decided it was so nice to do boyish things.... 

Then went to Lulworth Castle, we all made for the canons and sat on top of them, again a man thing I thought, these were original canons. 

Lulworth Castle


Lulworth Castle is a dramatic early-17th century hunting lodge.
The mock castle was built in 1607 - 10 by Thomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Blindon.  He was a member of the huge Howard clan who were in great favour at the court of  James I and had his principal seat at nearby Blindon Abbey. 

The design of the grand hunting lodge was inspired by chivalric literature so loved by the Jacobean court.  During the Civil War Blindon Abbey was destroyed by fire and Lulworth Castle was badly damaged.  In 1643 the estate was purchased by Humphrey Weld, a wealthy Londoner, and it became the Weld family's principal home.  The interior was remodelled on several occasions during the 18th and 19th centuries removing all traces of the original interiors. 

The Castle was seriously damaged by a fire in 1929 and remained a shell until the end of the 20th century.  The property is still in the hands of the Weld family who run the estate but the Castle itself is cared for by English Heritage.  They have recently restored much of the building.


This is us looking through the windows, what lovely windows we thought.  It was a lovely sunny day too.


We then went into Lulworth itself and again lovely, there was ducks swimming in the ponds and rivers and we thought they looked cute.  They kept ducking .... ducking get it... down in the water we thought they had drowned but my host told us it was ok, they were looking for food.  phew.....  close shave or what.




Durdle Door - world famous geological wonder.
Durdle Door in Dorset with its massive rock arch, set right on the Jurassic Coast between Swanage and Weymouth, is absolutely beautiful. There is a sloping beach for bathing or snorkeling from, caves and exciting rock strata.

Just along the coast path from Lulworth Cove with its thatched cottages, fishing boats, lobster pots, wild flowers, quaint little gift shops and tea rooms - the charm of the place is timeless and you will want to return over and again.

     

   
 
The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO is assessing the superb coastline for the award of World Heritage Site status because its geology and physical geography is of international conservation importance.

Don't miss it!

Don't miss seeing fabulous Lulworth Cove either, it's just along the coast path! 

Well at last I got here, my host sylvia has had and is still having a few technical difficulties.  I am not alone here so do not worry, I am here with Taro from Japan, then Ck from Australia, and I have met Henry the Adventure Hound who will be going on the Texas trail next week. 

We I have been busy, firstly we went to Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door.  And we went on a speedboat!!  that was fast and great fun, the girlies on the boat screamed but us boys wanted to go faster....

Here i am in Honiton, lovely sunny weather...  getting ready for the weekend to Durdle Door, the Unesco World Heritage Site,  and Lulworth Cove in Dorset lovely weather too.  Then we are going to have to pack to go to Lanzarote and Feurtenvtura for the day see the volcano`s.  Cannot wait week in the sun along with Henry the Adventure Hound,  Siti Smut, and and Taro.... yippee.. 


Durdle Door - world famous geological wonder.
Durdle Door in Dorset with its massive rock arch, set right on the Jurassic Coast between Swanage and Weymouth, is absolutely beautiful. There is a sloping beach for bathing or snorkeling from, caves and exciting rock strata.

Just along the coast path from Lulworth Cove with its thatched cottages, fishing boats, lobster pots, wild flowers, quaint little gift shops and tea rooms - the charm of the place is timeless and you will want to return over and again.

   
   
   

 
 
 
The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO is assessing the superb coastline for the award of World Heritage Site status because its geology and physical geography is of international conservation importance.

Don't miss it!

Don't miss seeing fabulous Lulworth Cove either, it's just along the coast path! 


Here are the 3 boys with the Monkey...  what a busy weekend and tomorrow going to see a Tag Rugby match which my host arranges with her "other boys" from the Police Station.

7th May 2007 - Osminton Dorset, uk

White Horse, Osmington
The white horse is carved into the side of Osmington Hill to the east of the town, overlooking Weymouth Bay. This horse, at 260 feet long, is the only example of a horse with rider. There are several stories surrounding its cutting; the most common view is that it was cut by a soldier in the early 19th century to commemorate the visits paid to Weymouth by King George III and his brother, the Duke of Gloucester from 1789. However, given the size of the site, covering nearly an acre, it is unlikely to be the work of one man! Another story says that the work was done by a group of engineers, stationed in Weymouth when the fear of a Napoleonic invasion was at its height. This is linked to the mention of the horse in Thomas Hardy's "The Trumpet Major", where it is said to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar.


See pictures the white horse is of chald as the hills.  Also you can see Horse in distance where toy voyagers are, the horse is in the background on the hills.

Well tomorrow we are going to visit a Police Station so we will all have to be very good boys.... a bit difficult being muskateers and all that... very demanding work you know.  If we are good might even get a ride in a police car, yippeeeeeee now thats what I call boys games.... we can sit and use Sylvia`s Computer at work.

Then we are going on jollidays..... yeahhhhhhhhhhhh  sit in the sun all day long....  but first we have to travel in Sylvia`s very, and I mean very PINK bag,.... I mean come on PINK we are 3 muskateers for goodness sake...

Well today 22/5 eventually got round to having photo taken firstly at my Hosts desk we 3 boys sat at her computer...  then she showed us the Police cars and we sat on the window so she could take a picture.  If we had sat inside the car you wouldnt have been able to see us... cos we are very small...  we  did behave although CK had a giggling fit when he sat on the windowscreen!!!!!    Host had a problem sitting us up at the compter, I had a tin of brasso at my back,....  ck a stapler and Taro had a wrist support on his leg to start with but we got there.

Anyway wont be any update for over a week but I am sure we 3 will all have exciting adventures, like visit a volcano, now thats boys sort of work.

see you soon

Welcome to Lanzarote, boy is it hot, we arrived quite late but great to be out of the bag all 3 of us.  It was about 80-90 degrees, that means hot.  We were at a place called Papagayo, Iberostar Papagayo hotel, very nice too and lots of food, we were all stuffed all week.... hot from first thing.

VOLCANO TIMANFAYA LANZAROTE

The Montañas del Fuego (Mountains of Fire), on the west side of Lanzarote, are the central feature of the Timanfaya National Park (area 5,107 hectares/20 sq.mi), which was established in 1974.

The Timanfaya National Park, in northwestern Lanzarote, is a center of volcanic activity. The lower part of the park consists of a large lava field out of which rise a series of cones and craters, like the Caldera Roja, near which is the only spring in this very hot and dry area, the Fuente de los Miraderos. These higher points, covered with volcanic ash, lapilli and "bombs", are a striking sight with their varied hues of black, yellow and red. Visitors can follow the Ruta de los Volcanes (14km/9mi) through the park. The inhospitable volcanic terrain is slow to recover a mantle of vegetation. The most resistant plants are the lichens, of which there are more than a dozen species. They are usually followed by succulents like Aeonium lancerotense Prager and various euphorbias (E. balsamifera Ait., E. obtusifolia Poir.); also common is aulaga maiorera (Zollikoferia spinosa Boiss.), which the local people set on fire for the benefit of tourists. A curious feature to be seen on the coast, where the lava has formed natural bridges, is the growth of rushes (Juncus acutus L.) in regular rows on the porous subsoil which stores up water. The only vertebrates are reptiles, the commonest and most interesting of which is the Atlantic lizard (Lacerta atlantica) or lagarto de haria, a species endemic in the Canaries.
The volcano is still live!!  and hot, if you pick up stones near the top just slightly a bit down they are very hot!! 



You will see the big spout of water, well a hole had been dug several metres down and then water poured on and only 3 seconds laters, this happened that is how alive it is.  We boys were so excited.l  WOW....

And we had a ride on a camel..... the man was laughing at us, we should be laughing at him, he is the one doing the walking with the camel not us!!!  ha ha ha




Well Hi I am back from my travels to Lanzarote, had a wonderful time, but boy it was hot.  80-90 degrees, phew!!  We went up to the Volcano, Lanzarote is a volcanic Island and no grass lots of Cacti, a bit prickly so you cannot sit on it!!  ouch!!  Had a ride on a camel up to the higher part of the volcano, a good day out had by all.  Went on a big plane and stared out of the window, it was a long way up....
Pictures to follow.  Went to a Christening today to a very nice church... in Honiton.

Pictures to follow
Could not find Lanzarote for the Latitute and Longitude markings.

We went up the volcano,. this is where we had a ride on a camel, very nice camels too they were...  and well behaved..  the volcano is quite live, they showed us how 9 metres down they poured water down this hole and the water shot up so high it was very very hot!!!  Timafaya national Park.  Very interesting, a restaurant was built at the top and a bigger hole dug and you can roast chickens on the top of it which they did... Now that is very much alive... the volcano not the chickens of course.

You can see us on the camels in the picture, and sunbathing, a picture of the shooting hot water... the cacti and flowers.